Dems get health ready for House vote

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By Jennifer Haberkorn

Democratic House leaders are pushing for a final vote on a health care reform bill scheduled for Saturday with last-minute negotiations continuing over taxpayer-funded abortions and other contentious issues.

Leaders and at least a handful of pro-life Democrats appear to be close to a deal on language that would assure them that taxpayers would not have to pay for abortions, which is the most significant hurdle to final passage.

The 10-year, $1.2 trillion House bill would establish a government-run insurance plan, require individuals to obtain insurance and employers to provide it, and provide tax subsidies to help the poor and middle class obtain coverage.

Final passage in the House would put President Obama's goal of reforming the health care system within sight of the White House. From there, the Senate would have to pass its bill and then the two pieces of legislation would have to be combined, though neither is expected to be easy tasks.

It's not clear yet whether Democrats have the votes required to pass the bill. House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, when asked whether he has the 218 votes, simply said, "We'll see."

Democrats plan to make final changes to their bill - expected to include the abortion compromise - by Friday, when the Rules Committee meets. Chairman Louise M. Slaughter, New York Democrat, said there will likely be five hours of floor debate and no floor amendments accepted in a rare Saturday session in the House.

During that time, Republicans hope to be able to offer their reform plan, released Wednesday, which would allow insurance companies to sell across state lines, establish high-risk insurance pools and limit medical malpractice awards. They rebuffed the idea that Democrats would try to pass the bill with one day of formal debate.

"The idea that Congress would enact a government takeover of one-sixth of the American economy and debate it for half a working day would be deeply offensive to the millions of Americans would cherish limited government," said Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana, chairman of the House Republican Conference.

There are expected to be conservative Democrats who vote against the bill over worry that it adds to the debt, allows for taxpayer-funded abortion or provides illegal immigrants access to the insurance exchanges.

A group of about 40 pro-life Democrats had threatened to prevent the House from starting debate on the health care reform bill if the legislation would allow taxpayer-funded abortions. There are enough members to successfully do so.

But the compromise, drafted by Rep. Brad Ellsworth, Indiana Democrat, is likely to appease at least the few required to get enough votes to start debate. Ms. Slaughter said Wednesday that the plan from Mr. Ellsworth would be likely be accepted.

Mr. Ellsworth's plan would prevent any taxpayer dollars from funding payment for an abortion, he said, requiring any payment for the procedure to circumvent the Treasury Department entirely.

The Congressional Research Service issued a legal advisory that the compromise would uphold the status quo - that taxpayer funds don't go toward abortions, which is what nearly all parties say they're trying to do.

"We don't want the abortion issue to be the issue that derails health care reform," said Rep. Jim Langevin, Rhode Island Democrat.

But the plan doesn't go far enough for the National Right to Life Committee, which called it a "money-laundering scam," signaling that it may not appease all 40 members.

Immigration also threatens to stall health care reform. In recent days, groups that support a crackdown on illegal immigration have warned that the House bill would allow people in the country illegally to get access to the insurance exchanges or other government benefits provided by the bill.

"If powerful special interests prevail, the final version of a health care reform bill will have been used to transform immigration policies as aggressively as it was used to transform the U.S. health care system itself," said Dan Stein, president of Federation for American Immigration Reform.

But at least one supporter of expanding health insurance access to illegal immigrants said Wednesday that preventing access would threaten his support.

"I would find it extremely difficult to vote for any measure that denies undocumented workers health care," said Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez, Illinois Democrat. He said undocumented workers should be allowed access to insurance coverage provided that they get no tax assistance.