Senators Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Michael Bennet, D-Col., discussed the Senate's health care reform bill on a conference call Monday afternoon, arguing that it would contain costs in a fiscally responsible way.
The $848 billion Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has been the center of debate over the last few weeks. Over the weekend, despite objections from both Republicans and Democrats to parts of the legislation, the Senate voted 60 to 39 to move it to the full Senate floor for debate.
The bill would cover about 94 percent of legal residents under age 65, and government subsidies to help buy coverage under the plan would begin in 2014. States would also have the choice to opt out of the public option after one year.
"Our health care system is too expensive for families, workers, business owners, and our nation's economy, and we need to fix it," Shaheen said on Monday.
She continued, "We can deliver health care more cost effectively and chip away at our national deficit while also improving outcomes for patients. This legislation is the first step toward achieving these goals and containing health care costs for all Americans."
"If we are going to solve the fiscal problems that threaten our economy and our kids' future, we need to pass effective reform that will rein in skyrocketing health care costs," Bennet added.
He said, "This bill will significantly reduce the deficit, bring down costs and provide affordable health insurance to all Americans."
The Senate, off this week for the Thanksgiving Day holiday, will begin debating the bill next week.
The public option is expected to continue to cause trouble for Democrats, as no Senate Republicans will support healthcare reform with the option and even some Democrats have said they won't support a public option.
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June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.