Yesterday, Senator Max Baucus announced his intent to implement the first round of modifications to his compromise health care legislation in order to
address concerns of affordability made by Senate Democrats, and Republican Senator Olympia Snowe. The move, which plans to reallocate $28 billion within the bill, aims to create larger subsidizes for low income individuals and lower the penalties for those who do not purchase health care coverage.

At the forefront of this affordability charge is Olympia Snowe, the moderate Republican Senator from Maine, who looks like the Democrats last hope at attaching the word "bi-partisan" to this bill. She has called for the abolition of penalties for those who do not buy health care, and a so called "affordability test" to grant more Americans access to the online health care exchange.

This is nothing but good news for Senate Democrats, who had their own concerns about the affordability of Baucus' bill. Chief among them is the notion that
individual premiums would be capped at 13% of a buyer's income. Many liberals considered this price tag too steep, and the fact that Baucus is going back to the drawing board on this one should take steps towards quelling their concerns.

Indeed, we applaud these modifications to the reform package, as it should provide a bi-partisan framework to making health care more affordable across the board. But even with these changes, Baucus' bill still falls short of the goal. While affordability is a concern, the necessity for long-term downward pressure on pricing is still being ignored. By making piecemeal changes to this package, instead of focusing on the need for a mechanism to drive down insurance premiums (most notably, something like a public option), Baucus is leaving the heavy lifting up to his Senate colleagues. He has provided a blueprint for debate, but it is a blueprint that must be significantly overhauled before it reaches President Obama's desk.

West Virginia Senator Jay Rockefeller has said publicly that he plans to introduce an amendment that includes a public option into the Senate version of a health care reform bill. We support him in this endeavor and hope that the Senate takes up this amendment with the urgency that the situation demands.
Senator Baucus has taken some good steps to get us towards reform, now it is time for his colleagues to stand up and take the leap we so desperately need.

--Newell for Congress Campaign