Senate Finance chair sees health bill by year's end
WASHINGTON -- The Senate Democrat involved in negotiations on a bipartisan health care bill has abandoned his hopes of reaching an agreement in principle by the time President Obama addresses Congress Wednesday night.
Instead, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., said he will formally introduce a proposal of his own next week, and convene his panel on the week of Sept. 21. He said he believes Congress can carve out a bill by the end of the year.
"I very much hope and do expect Republicans will be on board," Baucus said.
Baucus' language on Wednesday was much more resigned than that of the statements he made after meeting with the bipartsan group known as the "Gang of Six" for more than two hours on Tuesday. At that time, Baucus said, "It would be better for all concerned" if the group — which includes three Republicans and three Democrats — settled on the broad outlines of legislation today.
"Time is running out very quickly," Baucus said in the earlier statements. "The rubber is starting to meet the road."
The group has been negotiating behind closed doors for months. Because lawmakers returned home for the August recess, the senators met face-to-face Tuesday for the first time in weeks.
Days before the meeting, Baucus circulated what he called a "framework" to members of the group that would require everyone to purchase health insurance beginning in 2013. "Exchanges" would be created at the state level to help people who do not receive their coverage through work to purchase insurance.
The 10-year, $900 billion proposed compromise would be paid for in part with new taxes and fees on health care insurers and other companies. It would not include a government-run health program, known as the public option.
Baucus said he asked the Republicans in the group —Olympia Snowe of Maine, Mike Enzi of Wyoming and Chuck Grassley of Iowa — to submit their responses to his proposal by 10 a.m. Wednesday.
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