The first vote on health care overhaul legislation in the senate is (no surprise) A bipartisan amendment to increase insurance benefits for women. The amendment was co-sponsored by Senator Barbara Mikulski, Democrat Maryland, and Olympia Snowe, Republican from Maine. This would require policies to include a variety of yearly screenings, this is a reverse from the recommendation last month that women undergo fewer mammograms and Pap smears to test for cancer. The bill is not a mandate for mammograms, but if your doctor says you need one, then you will get one. The Congressional Budget office said the amendment would cost $940 million over a decade. This is only the first of what is likely to be dozens of amendments, the democrats know they need to bend and shape to pass Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s 2,074-page bill. Sen. John McCain, Republican from Arizona offered the first GOP amendment. The amendment would strip out more than $400 billion in Medicare cuts to home health providers, hospitals, and hospices. The rubber and the road will meet when Liberals who favor the government insurance plan come to terms with moderate and conservative Democrats who oppose it. This is going to be a tough three weeks in Washington as the holiday season politics will turn to blood sport by Christmas recess.