Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) (L) speaks on health care reform alongside Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee Max Baucus (D-MT), during a press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on October 15, 2009. UPI/Kevin Dietsch |
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- The majority leader in the U.S. Senate unveiled a healthcare reform bill that will cost $849 billion and extend insurance coverage to 30 million Americans.
The 2,000-page bill produced Wednesday by U.S. Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada is much less expensive than the $1.1 trillion healthcare reform measure the House of Representatives advanced. Both proposals would be funded with about $500 billion in Medicare cuts and increased taxes. The Senate bill is said to reduce budget deficits by $127 billion over a 10-year period.
Reid is seeking quick action on the measure -- perhaps getting a vote to allow for debate to begin as soon as this weekend. He needs 60 votes to clear that first hurdle. Republicans and some who usually join the Democrats' caucus have promised to use procedural ploys, including filibusters, to slow consideration.
Reid's plan melded measures considered by a pair of Senate committees. He calls for an option to buy insurance sold by the federal government and "exchanges" to be set up in 2014 to help those who have trouble finding insurance.
Part of the cost would be covered by increasing the payroll withholding tax for Medicare to people who make more than $200,000 a year.
