Health Care Reform: Senate Passes Bill – Details and Differences between House and Senate Versions

By Thomas Sullivan Last updated May 4, 2018

FILE - In this Sept. 29, 2009 file photo, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, of Nev., right, speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., left, and newly-named Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, center, listen. With the Senate Finance Committee on the verge of approving a sweeping health overhaul bill Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009, the path might appear open for action by the full Senate. But Reid has a tough task ahead in finalizing the health care bill. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

This morning along party lines the Senate Democrats passed their version of health reform. Now this goes to a conference committee to merge the house and senate bills. The Senate bill is actually a substitute amendment to an existing bill passed by the house, so the leverage in the house will be much less than it would have been if they had passed a straight senate bill. This is the first time since 1896 that the Senate has met on Christmas Eve.

Next week begins negotiations with the house, with such a tight vote in the Senate it is unlikely that there will be many changes made to the Senate version.

Links to what the Senators actually voted for: