Print  email 

Could delays jeopardize health care overhaul?

Mary Agnes Carey and Eric Pianin | Kaiser Health News • Published November 05, 2009

• Comments (0)

WASHINGTON — Passing a health care overhaul bill might be one of the hardest things Congress has ever attempted, but waiting until next year might jeopardize the top priority for President Barack Obama and the Democrats in Congress.

The political peril of waiting until 2010 — a midterm election year — could mean the death of comprehensive health care legislation, according to some analysts. "If they're going to do it, they have to do it this year," University of Virginia political analyst Larry Sabato said. "Everyone knows that. They know it."

If there isn't a bill on Obama's desk by Christmas, Obama supporters fear that lawmakers could face a repeat of the brutal August town hall meetings, where angry constituents railed against a government-run "public plan" and other elements of proposed bills. Under that scenario, lawmakers could return to Washington in January considerably less enthusiastic about health care legislation.

In addition, Tuesday's election results — Republicans won the Virginia and New Jersey governors' races with heavy support from independent voters — might make some moderate Democrats who are facing re-election next year hesitant to back a health care measure that will cost $900 billion or more over the next decade. Exit polls showed substantial numbers of voters in both states expressing concern that government "is doing too many things better left to business and individuals," according to ABC News.

As for delaying health care until next year, Sabato said, "If you're talking about having everything done except for tying it in a ribbon, that's one thing. Once everything is lined up you could have the final votes once Congress comes back ... but it has to be done." Because of the risks of waiting, he doubts that Obama and congressional Democrats would let the health care debate drag into next year.

Steve Elmendorf, once a top aide to former House of Representatives Majority Leader Richard Gephardt, agreed. Elmendorf said that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., needed to keep his troops in town and get the health bill passed.