WASHINGTON: Senate Democrats who thought they had a workable compromise to move ahead on President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul learned otherwise from Sen. Joe Lieberman, who is threatening to join Republicans in opposing a bill if it expands Medicare.
The Connecticut independent, whose vote is critical to the bill’s prospects, expressed his opposition to the plan to allow uninsured individuals as young as 55 to buy Medicare coverage in two instances on Sunday: first in an interview with CBS, and more strongly later, according to Democratic officials, in a private meeting with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
Lieberman’s opposition is one of a handful of major obstacles for Senate Democrats in a make-or-break week for Obama’s signature issue. Disputes over tougher abortion restrictions and the importation of lower-cost prescription drugs from other countries also threaten to derail Democratic plans to complete the bill by Christmas.
Reid needs 60 votes to overcome Republican objections and has been counting on Lieberman to provide one.
But appearing on CBS, Lieberman said of the Medicare proposal, “Though I don’t know exactly what’s in it, from what I hear, I certainly would have a hard time voting for it because it has some of the same infirmities that the public option did. “It will add taxpayer costs. It will add to the deficit. It’s unnecessary,” he added of a provision that Reid last week hailed as part of a breakthrough between liberals and moderates.
