Key players in the game of reform of the health insurance

Key players in the game of reform of the health insurance -

Holiday shmoliday.

The legislators were hard at work this weekend. Specifically, Senator Max Baucus who circulated a comprehensive proposal for its effort of a year to draft a bipartisan health care legislation.

But after reading it does not include a public option and calls for additional costs from insurance companies, all we could think was, eh? Looks like a good way to alienate Republicans and Democrats alike.

Or is it a clever calculation to appeal to lawmakers like Senator Olympia Snowe J., which could help to get the bill passed at all? Even so, the proposal will have to win the support of other Republican Senate Finance Committee in the "group of six" including Senators Charles E. Grassley and Michael B. Enzi.

We also believe that will be interesting to see how Mr. Baucus jibes plan with proposals President Obama sets in his speech to Congress tomorrow ... not to mention some other legislators. As it all unfolds, the blog of New York Times prescriptions offers a great look on some of the key players to watch:

Senator Kent Conrad, Democrat of North Dakota
Huge promoter of the co-op health insurance option he. gave the public plan "dead" a few weeks ago, saying he did not have the votes to pass.

senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, Republican of Maine
If the public option is rejected, these senators could be brought on board, providing crucial votes to Democrats.

Representative Henry Waxman, Democrat of California
head of the Committee on Energy House. He heard it does not represent a bill that provides a "windfall" for the federal insurance industry.

Representative Raul Grijalva, Democrat of Arizona
The progressive House leader. No bill has a chance without her support and insists on a public option.

Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, Democrat of South Dakota
fiscally conservative Blue Dogs leader. The Sandlin member wants to mitigate the law and steer clear of big spending and prefer not to have a public option.

While Max Baucus struggle to forge a bipartisan consensus in the committee that we ask is how Democrats can pass a draft background health reform law ... and not liquidate a fractured party.

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