Obama pushes for reform as Dems continue work

President Barack Obama, on Capitol Hill Sunday to press the importance of health reform, told Senate Democrats that they're closer than ever to passing some of the most sweeping changes to social policy in this country since the legislation that created Social Security, and also urged them to finish the job.

“This is something that 20 years from now, people will look back on and say we did something good, something important, something we can be proud of,” Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) said, relaying the message the president sent during the rare Sunday closed-door meeting. Despite the pep talk, discussions outside the meeting room centered on a handful of hurdles that continue to bog down the process, including a public-health option, stricter abortion language and overall cost and affordability measures.

Meantime, five centrist and five moderate Democrats have been shaping what could be an alternative to a public health plan that would allow the federal government to negotiate with private, not-for-profit health plans much like they do for federal employees.

Sen. Thomas Carper (D-Del.), who has been part of meetings among the 10 senators, said a compromise that would allow them to corral 60 votes—or perhaps more—could come within days.

“The conversations between the centrists and the progressives and the leadership have all been very positive and very constructive,” he said, adding that if they continue that way, “we'll end up with 60 votes at the end of the day—maybe 61—and we'll end up with very good public policy.”

“There are still a few things we have to work out in the bill,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said. “We're working towards a consensus. We're not there yet.”

“We're going to do that just as quickly as we can,” Reid added.

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