SENATE HEALTH BILL COVERS FEWER THAN HOUSE VERSION BUT WOULD COST LESS
Reid
The Senate is expected to vote Saturday on whether to take up the legislation. The majority leader  Harry Reid  D-Nev.  refused to say Thursday whether he had the 60 votes needed to clear that procedural hurdle.
 While the guts of the Senate and House bills are similar  Reid devised a new method of financing coverage  not found in any other major health bill. His proposal would significantly increase the Medicare payroll tax for high-income people.
 Supporters of abortion rights were pleased with the treatment of abortion in Reid's bill. "It maintains the decades-long compromise of no federal funds for abortion  while allowing a woman to use her own private funds for her reproductive health care " said Sen. Barbara Boxer  D-Calif.
 Reid and other Democratic leaders said that the unveiling of the bill  composed in his office  had given them political momentum going into the first test vote. Despite solid Republican opposition  the Democrats said they were confident they could enact some kind of national health insurance program  a goal that has eluded politicians for more than 75 years. But Congress appears highly unlikely to meet President Barack Obama's goal of finishing work on the bill this year.
Reid's bill. "It maintains the decades-long compromise of no federal funds for abortion  while allowing a woman to use her own private funds for her reproductive health care " said Sen. Barbara Boxer  D-Calif.
 Reid and other Democratic leaders said that the unveiling of the bill  composed in his office  had given them political momentum going into the first test vote. Despite solid Republican opposition  the Democrats said they were confident they could enact some kind of national health insurance program  a goal that has eluded politicians for more than 75 years. But Congress appears highly unlikely to meet President Barack Obama's goal of finishing work on the bill this year.
 The Congressional Budget Office estimates that Reid's bill would provide coverage to 31 million people who are uninsured  while the House bill would cover 36 million people.
 Many provisions of the House bill would take effect in 2013. But to help hold down the cost of the bill  Reid decided to delay the effective date for many provisions by one year  to 2014.
 Reid's bill would impose a tax on "Cadillac health plans" -- employer-sponsored group health plans with premiums more than $8 500 for individual and $23 000 for family coverage. He would impose a new 5 percent tax on "elective cosmetic medical procedures." And he would impose annual fees on insurance companies and makers of medical devices and brand-name drugs. By contrast  the House relies on an income surtax to raise $460 billion from 2011 to 2019. The tax would be 5.4 percent of adjusted gross income exceeding $500 000 for individuals.
The Senate is expected to vote Saturday on whether to take up the legislation. The majority leader  Harry Reid  D-Nev.  refused to say Thursday whether he had the 60 votes needed to clear that procedural hurdle.
 While the guts of the Senate and House bills are similar  [TGT] devised a new method of financing coverage  not found in any other major health bill. [TGT] proposal would significantly increase the Medicare payroll tax for high-income people.
 Supporters of abortion rights were pleased with the treatment of abortion in [TGT]'s bill. "It maintains the decades-long compromise of no federal funds for abortion  while allowing a woman to use her own private funds for her reproductive health care " said Sen. Barbara Boxer  D-Calif.
 [TGT] and other Democratic leaders said that the unveiling of the bill  composed in his office  had given [TGT] political momentum going into the first test vote. Despite solid Republican opposition  the Democrats said they were confident they could enact some kind of national health insurance program  a goal that has eluded politicians for more than 75 years. But Congress appears highly unlikely to meet President Barack Obama's goal of finishing work on [TGT] this year.
[TGT]'s bill. "[TGT] maintains the decades-long compromise of no federal funds for abortion  while allowing a woman to use her own private funds for her reproductive health care " said Sen. Barbara Boxer  D-Calif.
 [TGT] and other Democratic leaders said that the unveiling of the bill  composed in his office  had given [TGT] political momentum going into the first test vote. Despite solid Republican opposition  the Democrats said they were confident they could enact some kind of national health insurance program  a goal that has eluded politicians for more than 75 years. But Congress appears highly unlikely to meet President Barack Obama's goal of finishing work on [TGT] this year.
 The Congressional Budget Office estimates that [TGT]'s bill would provide coverage to 31 million people who are uninsured  while [TGT] would cover 36 million people.
 Many provisions of [TGT] would take effect in 2013. But to help hold down the cost of the bill  [TGT] decided to delay the effective date for many provisions by one year  to 2014.
 [TGT]'s bill would impose a tax on "Cadillac health plans" -- employer-sponsored group health plans with premiums more than $8 500 for individual and $23 000 for family coverage. [TGT] would impose a new 5 percent tax on "elective cosmetic medical procedures." And [TGT] would impose annual fees on insurance companies and makers of medical devices and brand-name drugs. By contrast  the House relies on an income surtax to raise $460 billion from 2011 to 2019. The tax would be 5.4 percent of adjusted gross income exceeding $500 000 for individuals.