As Congress returns from its Memorial Day recess, more details are expected to emerge concerning proposals from the Senate Finance and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committees to overhaul the nation’s health care system. Meanwhile, key House committees with jurisdiction over health care continue to develop their health care proposals and Democratic leaders in both chambers have said that they intend to pass health care bills before the August break. Separately, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, has detailed several of his priorities for health care legislation, including an requirement that individuals purchase health care coverage and that consumers be permitted to purchase coverage through a government-run health insurance plan that would compete with private health insurers.

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