Laurie McGinley and Mary Agnes Carey, Kaiser Health News

As the Senate Finance Committee continues its deliberations the panel is expected to engage in a robust debate about whether to include a government-run public health insurance option in the package. Democrats on the panel are expected to push for changes that would make coverage more affordable for workers and increase the value of health insurance plans that would be subject to an excise tax. Finance Republicans will likely continue in their efforts to reduce or eliminate Medicare spending reductions from the package. Separately, in the House, Democratic leaders are combining bills passed by three different committees into one and obtaining the final package’s cost from the Congressional Budget Office.

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