Dems ease impact of health bill, big advance nears

[defendandprotect]

Dems ease impact of health bill, big advance nears


By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent – 1 hr 7 mins ago

WASHINGTON – Fearing a backlash, Democrats worked to smooth the impact of sweeping health care legislation on working-class families Thursday as they pushed President Barack Obama's top domestic priority toward a crucial Senate advance. The most far-reaching overhaul in decades aims to protect millions who have unreliable coverage or none at all and to curb insurance company abuses.
Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee attacked the bill as riddled with tax increases that violated Obama's campaign promises, but failed to remove any of them.
After marathon public debate, agreement by the Senate Finance Committee is all but certain for the legislation, although no final vote was expected until next week. That formality — Democrats hold a 13-10 committee majority — will clear the way for the full Senate to begin debating the measure at mid-month.

The measure, like a companion bill under construction in the House, would bar insurance companies from denying coverage or charging higher premiums on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions. It also includes federal subsidies to make insurance available to millions who lack it, and it takes steps to slow the skyrocketing growth in health care costs nationwide.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091002/ap_on_go_co/us_health_care_overhaul



Please NOTE: Didn't have a chance to read this article -- and tried to watch C-span 3 today with
the hearings, but only succeeded in seeing small part of them --
Therefore, I have no idea of accuracy of this article -- and hope that anyone who watched the
hearings today will comment on what they think actually went down today . . . !!!

:)

[Pirate Smile]

1. Hearings are still on Live right NOW.