US Senate panel set for critical vote on health reform

Oct 13, 2009, 14:52 GMT

Washington - A key Senate committee was to vote Tuesday on legislation that would dramatically overhaul health care coverage in the United States, paving the way for the entire Senate to begin considering the reform plans.

The Senate Finance Committee's version of health care reform, the result of months of haggling between senators on the panel, is largely considered to have the best chance of being approved by Congress.

The 829-billion-dollar bill would require people to buy insurance, extend coverage to nearly 30 million people who are currently uninsured, increase subsidies for the poor and expand competition among insurers in a bid to lower costs.

'Ours is a balanced plan that can pass the Senate,' said Senator Max Baucus, the Democratic chairman of the committee. 'This is our opportunity to make history.'

Yet, the panel's vote was likely to fall strictly along party lines. Despite months of wooing Republicans, conservatives argue the legislation still does little to lower health care costs and amounts to heavy government encroachment on a largely private industry.

The bill is 'already moving on a slippery slope to more and more government control of health care,' said Senator Charles Grassley, the top Republican on the committee.

If passed, the bill will have to be merged with another version approved by the Senate Health Committee. The lower House of Representatives is considering its own proposals.

US President Barack Obama has said he wants a final bill passed by the end of the year.