Senate and House Democratic Leaders Continue to Move Health Reform Process Forward

The leadership of both chambers are negotiating a pathway to resume passage of comprehensive health reform that includes significant provisions related to long-term services' issues. House Democrats remain reluctant to pass the Senate bill without assurances of changes.

In order to avoid an expected 60 vote cloture to end a filibuster Democratic leaders are still pursuing a path in which the House would agree to the Senate bill, but make changes through "the reconciliation process" that would require only 51 votes. Given the level of mistrust between the two chambers, the House wants the Senate to vote first on a reconciliation package that would modify the Senate bill's provisions including the so-called "Cadillac tax" on insurance plans costing more than $8,500 for individuals and deeper subsidies for low-income beneficiaries.

Meanwhile the Senate is pivoting to job creation bills while substance and process are worked out.