11:01am UK, Thursday December 24, 2009

Graham Fitzgerald, Sky News Online

Barack Obama could receive an early Christmas present today in the shape of his landmark health care bill passing through the US Senate.

A delighted Mr Obama says the Senate version of the bill meets all his ‘criteria’

Under the bill medical cover will be extended to some 30 million-plus Americans who do not have it at present. It should also make insurance cheaper.

Republicans opposed to the legislation do not have enough votes to stop it passing through the upper house.

But further work lies ahead before the president can sign it off.

Discrepancies with a version of the bill already passed in the House of Representatives – the lower chamber of Congress – will first need to resolved.

The likely passing of the Senate’s bill today will be greeted with cheers by supporters of health care reform.

To the disappointment of many, however, the proposals being voted on do not include a government-run heath insurance scheme.

The so-called public option was dropped as part of negotiations to get reform through Congress.

Other issues still to be worked out include stricter provisions against the use of government money for abortions.

Another bone of contention is a proposal to increase tax for high-earners to pay for the reforms.

Mr Obama’s health care reforms have been fiercely opposed by some

Nonetheless, President Obama has welcomed the likely passage of the bill through Congress, saying it accomplishes 95% of what he wanted.

“Every single criteria for reform I put forward is in this bill,” he told the Washington Post.

Today’s vote in the Senate comes after the legislation cleared its last procedural hurdle on Thursday.

Senators voted 60 to 39 to stop a Republican delaying tactic, clearing the way for the Christmas Eve vote.