Why would House members care about the Senate bill?
To pay for the overhaul which could cost $1 trillion over 10 years the House bill calls for new income taxes on families making more than $350,000 a year. Republicans, led by House Minority Leader John Boehner, say that tax will hurt small businesses. A bipartisan approach to pay for health care could attract more votes. Q: What are the main differences in the bills? A: The House bill and a Senate health committee bill have a lot in common, such as a mandate that everyone buy health insurance, a government-run insurance program and new rules that would stop insurers from denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions. The Senate Finance bill could be vastly different. For instance, instead of a government-run insurance plan, senators are considering a co-op that would be managed by its own members. Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., says a co-op could insure 12 million people, making it the third-largest insurer in the nation. The co-op may attract more support from Republicans because the
