GOP Warning Over US Health Care Legislation

The US Congress must reach agreement with the Clinton Administration on a health care bill before it goes into recess for the Fourth of July or the bill will probably die, says new Senate majority leader Trent Lott.

The Republicans and the White House have been trading offers, and Sen Lott and Senate Democrat leader Tom Daschle are guardedly optimistic that they are close to a bill allowing health insurance portability for workers changing jobs. The key dispute is over GOP plans for medical savings accounts, which Sen Lott called "one of the most hopeful innovations since antibiotics," and urged President Clinton to withdraw his threat of a veto for the reform. He hoped Pres Clinton would "use his influence to win over his own party to overcome the threat of filibuster against this vital legislation." Some Senators, including Edward Kennedy, are willing to block the entire reform package rather than allow the accounts, he said.

Pres Clinton is willing to accept an experimental project on the accounts, said White House aide George Stephanopoulos; the insurance reform bill passed the Senate unanimously without this provision. Republicans should not end any chance for reform by insisting on unconstrained, massive use of the accounts, he added. The GOP has already agreed a compromise allowing the self-employed and firms with under 50 workers to try the accounts from January. If successful, after three years, they would be open to larger firms, unless Congress says no.