Al-Jubeir: Saudi Arabia granted $2.5 billion to secretariat of Middle East Green Initiative 'Afforestation is integral part of Saudi Arabia's climate change policy'    SR10,000 fine for entry in Makkah without a Hajj permit from June 2    Saudi Commerce Minister engages in strategic talks with Malaysian officials    Aramco reports $27.3 billion net income in Q1 2024    Riyadh Air, STA sign MoU to enhance services for visitors to Saudi Arabia    New members Faisal Alibrahim and Robert Dudley join Aramco's board    Petromin Foton to sponsor JIBEX, the biggest exhibition for construction and decoration in the Western Region    South Africa: Rescuers contact 11 survivors in collapsed building    Indians vote in scorching heat as temperatures cross 40C    Putin renews oath for fifth term with Russia under firm control    Boeing crewed space launch postponed for safety check    Al Hilal on verge of Saudi League title with thrilling win over Al Ahli    Al Qadsiah returns to Saudi Pro League    Chinese climbers stuck on cliff for more than an hour due to overcrowding    teamLab Borderless Museum set to open in Jeddah this summer    KSrelief is instrumental in bringing hearing impaired Syrian children back to normal life    Saudi Pro League's Allazeez dismisses charges of favoritism in player recruitment    Lord of the Rings cast pay tribute to Bernard Hill, who has died aged 79    Well wishes pour in as renowned Saudi singer Mohammed Abdu reveals cancer diagnosis    Karim Benzema seeks medical consultation in Madrid for ongoing injuries    JK Rowling in 'arrest me' challenge over hate crime law    Trump's Bible endorsement raises concern in Christian religious circles    Hollywood icon Will Smith shares his profound admiration for Holy Qur'an    We have celebrated Founding Day for three years - but it has been with us for 300    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Senate Democrats close in on health reform votes
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 25 - 10 - 2009

U.S. Senate Democratic leaders are close to securing enough votes to advance a sweeping healthcare reform backed by President Barack Obama, a top Senate Democrat said on Sunday, adding that it likely would include a national health plan that would allow states the option of dropping out, Reuters reported.
Senator Charles Schumer, a member of the Senate Democratic leadership team, said he is pushing a compromise that would create a new national health insurance plan and allow states to opt out. The proposed public plan would compete on a level playing field with other insurers, he said.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is expected to produce a bill on Monday that will be sent to the Congressional Budget Office for an official cost estimate, an aide said.
Reid and other Democratic leaders have been talking with liberals, who want a strong public plan, and moderates who lean toward a less expansive government program and more state-level options.
They are testing the waters to see which version would win the 60 votes needed to advance controversial legislation in the 100-member chamber and hope to produce a bill this week that would then go to the Senate for debate.
"I think we"re very close to getting the 60 votes we need to move forward," Schumer said in a NBC "Meet the Press" interview. "My guess is that the public option level playing field with the state opt-out will be in the bill."
Senator Ben Nelson, a moderate Democrat, told CNN"s "State of the Union" that he has not decided how he will vote. He said he favors more state control on healthcare issues and would prefer allowing states to "opt in" on any proposed new government plan.
"I think the states can make decisions on their own about their own citizens," he said.
Obama had hoped to win bipartisan support for his plan to overhaul the $2.5 trillion U.S. healthcare system to rein in soaring costs and expand coverage to most of the 46 million uninsured people in the United States.
Republicans strongly oppose the public plan as well as other parts of the massive undertaking. The only Republican to indicate some support, Senator Olympia Snowe, insists that it not include a public plan. She supports a "trigger" that would put in place a new government plan only if proposed insurance market reforms fail to expand affordable medical coverage.
WHO WILL FOOT THE BILL?
Democrats argue the public plan is needed to inject more competition in the market but the insurance industry strongly opposes it saying it would compete unfairly and eventually leader to a government-run healthcare system.
Republicans also are concerned about the cost of proposed new subsidies for health premiums at a time of eye-popping deficits, which reached a record $1.4 trillion this year.
"We know there is nervousness among Democrats over this increasing view that Congress is acting like a teenager with their parents" credit card, not worried about who"s going to have to pay the bill," Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said on ABC"s "This Week with George Stephanopoulos."
The Senate bill"s roughly $900 billion 10-year cost would be covered by spending cuts in the Medicare health program for the elderly, a tax on high-cost health plans and a special fee on insurers, drug companies and medical device makers.
Democrats in the House of Representatives strongly oppose the tax on high-cost insurance plans and their legislation would pay for the overhaul mostly through a surtax on the very wealthy. House Democratic leaders also are looking at the health industry fees that are included in the Senate bill.
The House bill is expected to include a government plan but have yet to settle on which version. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday reiterated her support for a strong public option that would use Medicare payments as the basis to reimburse doctors in the new government health plan.
They are considering two other options based on negotiated reimbursement rates. The negotiated rates are favored by moderates and Democrats from rural areas worried the lower Medicare rates would hurt small hospitals.
"There is no philosophical difference between a robust public option and negotiated rates. It"s just a difference of money," Pelosi said at a news conference on Friday.
--SPA


Clic here to read the story from its source.