Insurance Center

Dateline: WASHINGTON
Democrats close to the White House told CNN that it has reached the point in the healthcare debt that the Obama administration is seriously considering pushing through a healthcare reform bill but without backing from Republican members of Congress.
Republicans and conservative Democrats have been standing in the way of a Democratic senate majority regarding the healthcare debate, which has left them short of the 60-vote margin that can stop a filibuster, needed to pass the bill.

It is now possible that success for the Democratics might come down to an obscure tactic called reconciliation. This is a type of budgetary maneuver requiring only a simple majority, or 51 votes in order to gain passage.

If they try to go it alone, this could prove risky for the Democrats. This isn’t because they might not be able to raise the votes, but because the Republicans might describe it as a power play, and accuse them of not wanting to achieve bipartisan support. Nevertheless, this is a battle that the Democrats might be willing to undergo.

One leading White House adviser told CNN that if this is the way they get it through people will only remember the results and not the tactic used. He says after all at the end of the day, a win is a win.

Officials connected with the White House are starting to lay the groundwork for such a procedure, telling CNN that if there's no apparent programs soon, they'll have to take drastic measures.

Democrats have told CNN that they're becoming increasingly convinced that some Republicans, and in particular Iowa Senator Charles Grassley, while involved in the process are not really serious about striking a deal.

Grassley is one of the six members of the Senate Finance Committee, three of whom are Democrats and three Republicans, who are so far, negotiating the only bipartisan health care legislation.

A government-funded public health insurance option that is supported by President Obama and Democratic leaders is not being considered by the six negotiators. They are however, considering nonprofit cooperatives that could negotiate collective polices for their members.
At a weekend town hall meeting Senator Grassley warned that the months of negotiations may fail to produce a bill that he would be able to support.

Because of the lack of any need to win the votes of Republicans or conservative Democrats, if the Democrats were to decide to put it through alone, the public health or government insurance option will probably be included. This would however, show a change in approach since over the weekend the White House appeared to shift its stance on the issue.

Saturday Obama said that the public option only represents a part of healthcare reform (and can therefore be separated out).
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Sunday followed by saying that the public or government option is not essential to the reform package and overhaul of the healthcare system.