Senate Finance Committee negotiators neared completion Monday of a health care bill that would cost an estimated $880 billion over 10 years and include language aimed at reducing medical liability lawsuits. The cost of the bill newly estimated by the Congressional Budget Office would be fully offset by spending cuts or new revenues said Kent Conrad D-N.D. In fact were a little bit to the good."The six negotiators three Democrats and three Republicans were expected to meet again later in the day Chairman
Max Baucus D-Mont. said and remain on track to produce a draft bill by the end of the week. Baucus also planned an evening meeting with other Finance Committee Democrats to bring them up to date on the talks.
The six negotiators plan to talk Tuesday with state governors to discuss how much of the cost of a Medicaid expansion the states would be required to pay.
Baucus said the bills programs are not going to cost states as much as originally feared."
The lower costs which Baucus has not detailed result from changes to the Childrens Health Insurance Program and Medicaid drug rebates.
Conrad said the draft bill would enable states to run demonstration projects with federal support to reduce medical liability lawsuits.
One proposal is to require lawsuits to have a certificate of merit" from experts before they can proceed.
