Obama Health Plan’s Success Rides on Cost Curbs: Albert R. Hunt

As Democratic Senate and House leaders privately hammer out a final compromise on their competing versions of health-care legislation, the controversies focus on a government-run option and abortion. These are irrelevant to the important decisions that will affect the credibility and sustainability of the measure.

The House narrowly passed a public option, which, clearly lacking the necessary 60 votes to pass in the Senate, is dead. The differences in the anti-abortion language in the two versions are largely about semantics and placating those who see this issue in theological terms or as a vehicle to raise money.