Washington Tackles Health Care Reform

Washington Tackles Health Care Reform http://livingstories.googlelabs.com/lsps/healthcare <div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"> <img src="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2009/11/18/PH2009111803914.jpg" border="0"> </div> Overview: The House and Senate have approved sweeping legislation that would provide health care insurance for most Americans, at huge cost to the government. The House plan, approved Nov. 7 in an almost strictly party-line vote, would spend $1.05 trillion to extend coverage to about 36 million Americans. The Senate bill, passed on Dec. 24, went through several iterations before attracting the support of a filibuster-proof coalition of 60 votes. It would cost $871 billion and give coverage to 31 million people who lack it now.  Both plans are designed to reduce budget deficits in later years. They take different approaches to the contentious issues of using federal funds for abortion and offering a public alternative to private-sector health plans. Liberals are particularly disappointed at deals made by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to eliminate a public option and restrict funding for abortion in order to gain the support of centrists such as Connecticut's Joseph I. Lieberman (I) and Nebraska's Sen. Ben Nelson (D). Republicans bitterly oppose both houses' plans, mostly because of their costs. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called the Senate package "a monstrosity."Negotiations between the two houses are scheduled to begin in January and may last weeks.