Senate Democrats consider new tactics for health care overhaul

Appearing Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press," Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York, said Obama and Democratic leaders are "bending over backwards" to win Republican support. But added, "It's looking less and less likely" that Republicans will back Democratic proposals to subsidize coverage for the millions of uninsured. Democratic leaders have said they are doubtful that Senator Max Baucus, chairman of the Finance Committee, could forge a bipartisan compromise.

Recently Democrats have started talking about using budget reconciliation to pass a health bill in the Senate with a simple majority, assuming no Republican support. To do that, following Senate regulations, they would likely have to illustrate that the public plan changed federal spending or revenues and that the effects were not "merely incidental" to the changes in health policy.

Democrats say they can show that the public plan will save money.

"If a public plan is shown to have a cost to the government that affects outlays or revenues, it could be included in a health care bill using reconciliation procedures," said Martin P. Paone, a former Senate aide who has been consulted by Senate Democrats.

However, Republicans oppose the concept of a new government plan and the use of procedures to hurry it through the Senate on a simple majority vote.

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