Obama, Senate may move quickly on health reform despite price tag

After having worked mostly behind the scenes for months, Democrats in the Senate appear poised to fast-track health care legislation shortly after Congress convenes in January, despite concerns over its impact on an already strained federal budget (Source: “Senate Power Brokers Moving on Health Reform,” Wall Street Journal Health Blog, Nov. 7, 2008)

Democrats are considering invoking the budget-reconciliation process, which would all them to fast-track a health care bill  and require a simple majority for passage. The move would mean opponents would not have the ability to filibuster the legislation.

The New Republic is reporting that staffers for the Senate Finance, Budget and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committees have been working since June to craft legislation that would closely resemble the proposals President-elect Obama put forth in his campaign (Source: “Surgical Prep,” The New Republic, Nov. 7, 2008).

“They've also been meeting with officials representing almost every key stakeholder involved in the health care debate, from doctors to insurers to consumer advocates to employers,” The New Republic wrote. “Although the discussions still have a ways to go, a rough consensus is starting to take shape.”

Aides for Sen. Ted Kennedy also announced yesterday that health care reform could require an exception to the pay-as-you-go budgeting practices (Source: “Kennedy aide suggests healthcare pay-go exceptions,” The Hill, Nov. 6, 2008). The plan proposed by Obama would cost as much as $60 billion a year, according to the Obama campaign.

However, many remain skeptical that the timing is right for a major health reform package. According to one non-partisan health policy group, Congress and the President are more likely to focus on incremental reform such as SCHIP renewal and expansion and Medicare reform (Source: “The Morning After: Obama and the Dems Win Big—What it Means for Health Care,” Health Care Policy and Marketplace Review, Nov. 5, 2008).