The "Gang of Six", a number of Finance Committee Senators hesitant to adopt the public option, met today at Chairman Max Baucus's (D-Mont.) office to continue talks on health care reform. According to Baucus, the Senators are close to wrapping up their discussions.
Baucus described the meeting as productive and noted that the six Senators actually have found common ground on a number of policies.
"Today’s meeting was quite useful and we all recognize that there’s so much we agree on," Baucus said. "I want to underline that point. I made that many times... it's true today as well."
Committee Member Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), one of the Gang of Six, said the group covered many subjects, including preparation for a meeting with Governors tomorrow. Conrad said looking at health care reform effects at the state-level is important because state and federal governments could align under the latest draft of health care reform.
Conrad said that while the vast majority of the responsibility for the newly-insured, or at least those eligible for insurance, would lie on the federal government, states will have some role in sharing the financial burden.
"States would be given resources to help them experiment on what works best [under the plan discussed today,] including a certificate of merit program... a whole series of options open to them... on how to best make a determination on what works effectively."
Conrad also said the Senators discussed how to prevent illegal immigrants from receiving health benefits, as well as how to receive assurance from the federal government that abortions would not be financed through the proposed health care reform package.
The Gang of Six includes: Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus's (D- Mont.); Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R- Iowa); Committee Member Olympia Snowe (R- Maine); Committee Member Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.); Committee Member Kent Conrad (D-N.D.); and Committee Member Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.)
Senate Gang Of Six Begin Wrapping Up Talks
The "Gang of Six", a number of Finance Committee Senators hesitant to adopt the public option, met today at Chairman Max Baucus's (D-Mont.) office to continue talks on health care reform. According to Baucus, the Senators are close to wrapping up their discussions.
Baucus described the meeting as productive and noted that the six Senators actually have found common ground on a number of policies.
"Today’s meeting was quite useful and we all recognize that there’s so much we agree on," Baucus said. "I want to underline that point. I made that many times... it's true today as well."
Committee Member Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), one of the Gang of Six, said the group covered many subjects, including preparation for a meeting with Governors tomorrow. Conrad said looking at health care reform effects at the state-level is important because state and federal governments could align under the latest draft of health care reform.
Conrad said that while the vast majority of the responsibility for the newly-insured, or at least those eligible for insurance, would lie on the federal government, states will have some role in sharing the financial burden.
"States would be given resources to help them experiment on what works best [under the plan discussed today,] including a certificate of merit program... a whole series of options open to them... on how to best make a determination on what works effectively."
Conrad also said the Senators discussed how to prevent illegal immigrants from receiving health benefits, as well as how to receive assurance from the federal government that abortions would not be financed through the proposed health care reform package.
The Gang of Six includes: Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus's (D- Mont.); Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R- Iowa); Committee Member Olympia Snowe (R- Maine); Committee Member Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.); Committee Member Kent Conrad (D-N.D.); and Committee Member Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.)