(L-R) Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) speak to reporters following the Democratic Policy Committee luncheon October 15 in Washington, D.C. The Senate Finance passed the America‘s Healthy Future Act the same day. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

The Senate Finance Committee, after months of wrangling, approved on Tuesday the “America’s Healthy Future Act”, bringing the government’s health care reform efforts one step closer to realization.

“My goal from the outset was for us, the committee, to very proudly report out a bill that … would be the foundation, the basis, for health care reform so needed in this country,” said Sen. Max Baucus [D-Mt], committee chairman. “Even though we don’t have quite the degree of bipartisan support as I would have hoped for, I still very much appreciate the good-faith effort that has been undertaken.”

The bill passed committee by a 14-9 vote—13 Democrats and one Republican. The Republican, Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Me), said she was supporting the bill with some reservations, warning Democrats that she may not support a bill which receives significant changes before being voted upon in the Senate.
“My vote today is my vote today,” Sen. Snowe said, as reported in the Wichita Business Journal. “It doesn’t forecast what my vote will be tomorrow.”

In its present incarnation, the bill does not include the public health care option, which met with resistance from many Americans. The bill does attempt to provide more coverage by expanding Medicaid, offers tax credits to low- and middle-income people to help with coverage costs, and requires employers who don’t offer coverage to help pay for an employee’s government-subsidized coverage.

The bill also proposes insurance market reforms, which would not allow insurers to raise rates or deny coverage for preexisting conditions, or to drop coverage when individuals get sick.
The Finance Committee proposal, welcomed by proponents, has been seen by others as putting an ever-increasing burden on business owners—especially small and medium businesses.

After the finance committee vote on Tuesday, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President of Government Affairs Bruce Josten, who recognized the latest health care reform bid as “the best effort to date,” spoke of the concerns of business owners in a press statement to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. “One of the primary goals of health care reform is the overriding need to reduce ever-escalating costs for both consumers and employers,” Mr. Josten stated. “The Senate Finance bill increases premiums, raises taxes, and creates a new entitlement that will add to the nation's growing debt.”

Congressional committees continue to review and discuss various elements of health care reform. The House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday held a hearing to listen to individuals dealing with inadequate health care coverage within their existing health care plan.