Nelson Agrees To Vote For Obama's Health Care Bill

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Final Democratic holdout to support health bill

Sen. Ben Nelson intends to support health care legislation backed by President Barack Obama, giving the measure a 60th and decisive vote, Democratic officials said.

These officials say the Nebraska Democrat will make an announcement later Saturday. Marathon negotiations with the White House and Senate Democratic leaders produced fresh concessions that will mean additional abortion restrictions in the legislation.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because Nelson hadn't announced his decision.

Word of Nelson's decision came as Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada unveiled a final series of revisions to the health care bill, and Republicans dug in to prevent its passage for as long as possible.

In earlier developments, Obama warned Saturday the country's powerful insurance industry was determined to thwart a dramatic improvement in patients' rights as it lobbies against his signature healthcare reforms.

"They want to preserve a system that works better for the insurance industry than it does for the American people,'' Obama said in his weekly Internet and radio address.

Obama has asked the Senate to finish by year's-end to prevent the issue from spilling into the campaign for November 2010 congressional elections. Opinion polls show the bill losing public support, with majorities now opposed to it.

The healthcare bills would significantly expand coverage for currently uninsured Americans, and would also prevent insurance companies from denying coverage to people on the basis of pre-existing health conditions.

Opponents of reform say it will drive up the costs of coverage for many Americans and represents an unwelcome government intrusion into the private sector.

Obama said that healthcare reform would cut costs and shield patients from corporate abuse.

"The protections currently included in both the health insurance reform bill passed by the House and the version currently on the Senate floor would represent the toughest measures we've ever taken to hold the insurance industry accountable,'' Obama said.

"The insurance industry knows all this. That's why they're at it again, using their muscle in Washington to try to block a vote they know they will lose,'' he said.


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