Washington - The US Senate began debate Monday on President Barack Obama's plans to overhaul the health insurance system as Democrats face stiff resistance from Republicans and within their own ranks. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has proposed an 848-billion dollar plan over 10 years designed to extend health care coverage to more than 30 million Americans currently without insurance and reduce costs.
The reform, the subject of long-running and controversial debate, has been a key goal of Obama's time in office, occupying months of emotional and contentious discussions on how to reform the medical establishment.
"This journey begins and my hope is before we have finished the task here we will have ground common ground," Senator Chris Dodd, a Democrat who played a prominent role in drafting the bill, said.
The Democrats control 60 votes in the 100-seat Senate and will likely need all of those votes to meet the supermajority required to advance the legislation.
But many moderate Democratic senators are under pressure to oppose the bill and several have expressed scepticism about part of it that includes creating a government-run insurance plan that would provide coverage for those in need and compete with private insurance companies.
Republicans charge that the plan could drive up the already soaring deficit, though the bill claims to reduce the debt by 130 billion dollars over the decade, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. Republicans also worry the bill would be the beginning of a government takeover of health care - charges the White House rejects.
Reid has noted the bill also allows states to opt out of the so- called "public option" insurance plan.
No date has been set for a vote on the bill. Any bill that passes the Senate would have to go to conference committee to reconcile differences with the House of Representatives version that passed November 11.
