Senate moves healthcare bill to floor

WASHINGTON, Nov. 21 (UPI) -- The U.S. Senate voted Saturday to begin floor debate on an $848 billion healthcare bill backers say would extend coverage to 31 million uninsured Americans.

The procedural move got the minimum 60 votes -- 58 Democrats and two independents -- needed to advance the bill to floor debate, while 39 voted against the move.

The White House praised the vote and thanked senators on behalf of President Barack Obama, who has made healthcare reform his top priority.

"Tonight's historic vote brings us one step closer to ending insurance company abuses, reining in spiraling healthcare costs, providing stability and security to those with health insurance and extending quality health coverage to those who lack it," the White House said in a statement. "The president looks forward to a thorough and productive debate."

The two senators who had been holding out, Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, joined fellow Democrats in voting for the move.

But the two senators said the votes should not be taken to mean they agree with the entire bill or would vote for it in its current form.

"Let me be perfectly clear: I am opposed to a new government-administered healthcare plan as a part of comprehensive health insurance reform and I will not vote for the proposal that has been introduced," Lincoln said.

"I have concluded that I believe it is more important that we begin this debate to improve our nation's healthcare system for all Americans, rather than simply drop the issue and walk. That's not what people sent us here to do."

Landrieu said she "decided there are enough significant reforms and safeguards in this bill to move forward but much more work needs to be done."

"My vote today to move forward on this important debate should in no way be construed on how I might vote" on the final bill, she said.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada needed at least 60 votes to block a promised Republican filibuster and open debate on the bill, the first step in what is expected to be a long and rocky road for approval of the Democratic Party-backed overhaul of the nation's healthcare system.

A parade of Democratic senators made the case for Reid's bill ahead of the crucial procedural vote, The New York Times reported.

Backers say the plan, which includes a government-run public option, would cost $848 billion over the next decade without increasing the deficit.

The bill would forbid insurance companies to deny coverage to those with pre-existing conditions, tax high-premium policies, increase Medicare payroll taxes and expand Medicaid for low-income people.

"Last year 750,000 Americans filed bankruptcy," Reid said before the procedural vote.

"Over half of those bankruptcies were because of medical expenses. Over half of the people who filed bankruptcy because of medical expenses had health insurance. Don't we need to do something on health insurance reform? Of course we do."

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said it is time for "the historic debate to improve and reform our nation's health insurance system."

But Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky countered that Americans oppose the bill and said it would not live up to its promises.

"Every senator who goes on record saying that we need to proceed to this monstrosity of a bill will, in effect, be voting for higher taxes, higher premiums and cuts in Medicare," McConnell said minutes before the vote.