Senate Releases its Version of Healthcare Reform; Many Hurdles Still Remain

With the Senate finally piecing together its version of a healthcare reform bill, even procedural techniques by opponents will not stop the bill from being voted on before Christmas. Though a successfully passed version would still need to be reconciled with the House version before anything makes its way to President Obama's desk, Democratic leadership is touting the compromise as a giant leap forward in the process of restructuring the healthcare system of the US.

While the Senate version does not include the most controversial of discussed provisions, such as the public option or blanket funding for abortions, it is still likely to face steep opposition from Republicans on principle, as well as some Democrats who believe it is too weak, members of the House who don't agree with everything from specific phrasings to entire clauses, and, increasingly, a weary public. However, proponents of the legislation likely see this as a victory, particularly timeline wise, as many had predicted that a Senate version would not be voted on until after the new year. 

However, as noted, many difficulties remain. And it is likely that, even with passage this week, and despite the tremendous amounts of blood sweat and tears that have already been invested in this bill, the toughest part is yet to come.