Now that the health care reform legislation has moved from the U.S. House to the Senate there's lots of speculation as to its fate.
As far as New Hampshire's senators go, it's pretty easy to figure: Democrat Jeanne Shaheen will vote for it. Republican Judd Gregg will vote against it.
It's a partisan issue that will likely break along partisan lines in the Senate -- with some conservative Democrats and moderate Republicans holding sway.
But neither Shaheen nor Gregg is likely to play the middle.
Shaheen hasn't stated categorically that she will vote for the reform as passed by the House, but it's apparent from prior remarks she endorses a remake of the current health care system.
She took to the Senate floor on Sept. 23 to call for health care reform.
"...the current health care system is simply unsustainable for our economy," she said.
"It is estimated that in 2009 our nation will spend $2.5 trillion - or 18% of the GDP on health care. That means health care costs account for 18% of the value of all goods and services produced in this country. If we continue on our current path health care will make up over a third of our economy by 2040."
Gregg said in a statement in advance of the House vote that the legislation "fails to achieve meaningful health care reform, will result in a government takeover of the health care system in this country and cause significant damage to our fiscal future."
He added: “If a Republican were to propose a bill that cuts Medicare and Medicaid by more than $600 billion, raises taxes by $730 billion, puts increased stress on states who are already struggling under tight budgets to pay billions more in Medicaid payments, increases individual premiums, reduces the quality of care and stifles innovation, not a single Democrat would vote for it."
It will be interesting to see if Shaheen can hold some kind of sway with moderate Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.
She is considered an important swing vote and has worked with Shaheen in the past on certain health care issues.
Shaheen and Collins introduced legislation called the Medicare Transitional Care Act to reduce Medicare costs and offer better support and coordination of care to Medicare patients by keeping seniors who are discharged from the hospital from unnecessarily returning.
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