Will Dems Let Republicans Get Credit for HCR?
The NYT is reporting that Dem leadership is leaning toward producing a much scaled-down version of reform. The consensus measure would be less ambitious than the bills approved last year. It would extend insurance coverage to perhaps 12 million to 15 million people — and provide political cover to Democrats, who said they could not simply drop the issue after spending so much time and effort on it. The pared-back approach would cover fewer than half of those who, according to the Congressional Budget Office, would gain coverage under the House and Senate bills. But it would not put the government on the hook for what critics say is a new entitlement, a change that would appeal to some Republicans. While no decisions have been made and the White House was reluctant to concede it would not get a bigger bill, Congressional aides were working to identify common ground. Those elements include denials on the basis of pre-existing conditions for children under 19; allowing policyholders to co
