Take it slow on healthcare, centrists say

WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 (UPI) -- Several U.S. senators predicted lengthy, deliberate debate on healthcare reform will push the timetable into at least December and possibly beyond.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada is being pressured by a group of centrist Republicans and Democrats who say they want consideration of healthcare reform to take a slower pace, Politico reported Thursday.

The centrists said they wanted the go-slow approach to allow adequate time to review the language and to give the Congressional Budget Office a chance to provide a detailed cost estimate.

The new wrinkle means the legislation likely won't reach the Senate floor sooner than the first week of November and has virtually no chance of being approved by Thanksgiving, the Washington publication said. Lawmakers from both parties said floor debate would take at least a month.

Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, one of the centrists advocating the more deliberate pace and the only Republican in either chamber to vote in favor of a healthcare reform bill this year, said Thursday a bill may not reach President Barack Obama's desk until next year.

"We've (centrists) had conversations about taking it slow," Snowe said. "We've had some very constructive conversations about moving deliberately and cautiously rather than expediently, (which) could really shortchange the process."