Health Care Reform Update

Some HCR highlights for you to consider:
• The public plan remains the top hot button. Because some are opposed to a government run public option, the public option may be termed a “consumer” option that will be run by a non-government entity.
• There will be two cloture (stop debate) votes: 1) to proceed to debate on the floor of the Senate; and 2) to proceed with a vote. Both cloture votes can be filibustered. Some say that the votes are in for the first cloture vote – to proceed to floor debate; it’s the second vote that’s trickier. While some Senators may support moving the process along, they may not be ready to support the proposal.
• We understand that before any Senate bill is released, it will have received a score from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). But what was just sent to CBO was not an entire bill; rather, it was a set of different options that could be included in a final bill. CBO could release a score on these provisions by the end of next week. However, that timing could be delayed because CBO must also score the House bill. The Senate will wait for a CBO score before voting. The House isn’t under any such restraints.
• We may see the merged Senate bill the week of November 9. Reid wants to get their bill done by Thanksgiving. But there may not be enough time to do so. So now we are looking at the December holidays for a potential end to this battle.