Things are picking up steams as the Democratic leaders have their duck in row on a tentative agreement to move away from a full-blown government-run insurance option. Lame duck Majority Leader Harry Reid, Democrat from Nevada claims they have a broad agreement that will include a nonprofit national health plans administered by the Office of Personnel Management, which runs the popular federal employees’ health plan, as well as opening Medicare to uninsured Americans beginning at age 55, effective in 2011. They also left on the table that there would be greater government involvement if private insurance companies declined to participate in the nationwide plan. There have bee four votes since we last reported and none bigger than yesterday Amendment 2962 that would prohibit the use of Federal funds for abortions. This was sponsored Democratic Senator Bill Nelson from Florida and passed by a Yea-Nay Vote of 54 – 45. This is starting to feel like a done deal. There have been other amendments since the last post. John McCain has put for the motion again to have H.R. 3590 sent to the Committee on Finance this was rejected 57-42. Senator Gregg added Amendment No. 2942 which would prevent Medicare from being raided for new entitlements and to use Medicare savings to save Medicare. This was rejected as it do not have 60 votes in the affirmative, the amendment was withdrawn in Senate. The Mark Pryor Senator of Arkansas proposed Amendment No. 2939; To require the Secretary to provide information regarding enrollee satisfaction with qualified health plans offered through an Exchange through the Internet portal was passed on a Yea-Nay Vote of 98 – 0.
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