Word: bipartisanism
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...Despite attempts at a heroic compromise with a bipartisan, mainstream group of colleagues, Senate majority leader George Mitchell's efforts to pass some kind of health-care reform bill this year teetered on the edge of death. Republican leaders warned that a last-minute rescue effort could jeopardize G.O.P. support for global trade legislation. And some leading reform advocates, preferring to regroup for a fresh start in the next Congress, issued a "do not resuscitate" request...
Meanwhile, Republican leader Dole, who last year endorsed Clinton's call for universal coverage and then supported Chafee's efforts for bipartisan accord, kept backing away from both men last week. During his travels around the country in recent weeks, Dole said, he has detected in the public mood that "health care has sort of disappeared from the radar screen as a big issue." Dole also cited the proximity of the October recess. "Every time you look at health care in that context, it looks smaller and smaller...
Nonetheless, Senators Mitchell and Chafee this week will resume their efforts to amend Chafee's bipartisan "mainstream" bill in ways that might attract majority support. One of the bill's most controversial provisions would reduce the federal-tax break for many of those who obtain health insurance through their employers. This tax subsidy costs the Treasury $74 billion a year, fuels health-care inflation and disproportionately benefits workers with the most generous health plans. Capping this tax break is widely considered good policy but bad politics, and is unlikely to win the approval of more than 40 Senators...
Several less ambitious bills that attempt to reform health insurance also risk making it worse. These include bills introduced by Dole and Senator Bob Packwood, the Oregon Republican; by House minority leader Bob Michel; and by a bipartisan group of House members with the unwieldy label of Rowland- Bilirakis-Cooper-Grandy. None stands much chance of passage...
...Mainstream Coalition," a bipartisan group of 16 senators working on a health-care compromise, may not have as much influence as Inside-the-Beltway hype has suggested. The coalition, led by Sen. John Chafee, R-R.I., hoped to present Senate leaders today with a bill designed to break the impasse between Republicans and Democrats. It would put cost controls on the insurance industry, and take employers off the hook of having to provide bill for coverage. But this morning, Congressional Budget Office Director Robert Reischauer said their numbers didn't add up. Chafee called the briefing "sobering," but added...