No rest for Sen. Reid in healthcare debate

WASHINGTON, Nov. 23 (UPI) -- U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid must balance demands of liberal and conservative Democrats to craft a passable healthcare reform bill, Democrats say.

The 60-39 vote Saturday to allow debate on the Senate's 10-year, $848 billion healthcare proposal on the floor merely underscores the Nevada Democrat's plight as he tries to fashion a bill that satisfies 60 members, USA Today reported Monday.

"We can only see the finish line," Reid said after the vote. "We have not yet crossed it."

Hours after the vote, fissures cracked over fundamental issues, such as how to pay for the legislation, whether it does enough to control costs, and whether it should include a government-run health insurance program, also known as the public option, the newspaper said.

On the thorny public option issue, centrist Democrat Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska told ABC, "I don't want a big-government, Washington-run operation that would undermine ... private insurance."

Meanwhile, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Ind-Vt., in a statement said, "I strongly suspect that there are number of senators, including myself, who would not support final passage without a strong public option."

Other senators also are making demands, including Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., who wants larger tax breaks for small businesses offering health coverage and a guarantee that premiums won't rise "between the time this bill is enacted, if it ever is, and the time it actually goes into effect."

Senate Republicans nearly universally oppose the measure. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky called the bill a "job killer" on Sunday's talk show circuit, The Washington Post reported.

Reid said the Senate will begin deliberating the bill Nov. 30 and will consider amendments through most of December.