The US Senate began work on a sweeping healthcare overhaul today, with senators on both sides pouncing on the findings in a nonpartisan budget report on insurance premiums to bolster their arguments.
With the debate expected to last up to three weeks, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid warned senators they would work on weekends if necessary to hammer out compromises on thorny issues like a government-run insurance plan, abortion coverage and holding down costs.
"The next few weeks will tell us a lot about whether senators are more committed to solving problems or creating them," Mr Reid said.
In a report that gave ammunition to both sides, the Congressional Budget Office estimated today that the 70 per cent of Americans who receive insurance through employer-sponsored plans would see little change or slight reductions in their insurance premiums by 2016.
Those who buy coverage independently could see premiums rise by 10 per cent to 13 per cent by 2016, although the federal subsidies given to lower-income individuals to help them purchase coverage would reduce the actual costs for about half of the group, the CBO said.
The higher premiums would be incurred in part because they would get more comprehensive coverage, it said.
"The analysis we received today indicates that whether you work for a small business, a large company or you work for yourself, the vast majority of Americans will see lower premiums than they would if we don't pass health reform," said Democrat Max Baucus, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said Americans do not want the healthcare bill to pass and the CBO report showed why.
"A bill that's being sold as a way to reduce costs actually drives them up," said McConnell, who has vowed to do whatever he can to block or delay the bill.
The Senate plan is designed to rein in costs, expand coverage to about 30 million uninsured Americans and halt industry practices such as denying coverage to those with pre-existing medical conditions.
The US House of Representatives passed its version of the healthcare overhaul on November 7th. If the Senate passes a plan, the two versions will have to be reconciled and passed again by each chamber before they are sent to Obama for his signature.
Reuters