President Continues to Push for Health Care Reform, Group of Senators Far From Deal

President Obama will continue his push for sweeping reform of health care with an address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night. Obama will try and regain control of the issue after weeks of negative press and public opposition to the current reform package in town hall meetings across the country. The speech on Wednesday night is expected to focus on the need for reform but may fail to provide additional details on a reform package, including a public option. Despite the diminishing hope that the Senate can deliver a bipartisan bill, a small group of senators will continue to meet to find common ground. The group dubbed the "Gang of 6" - including Senators Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) - plans to meet Friday. If the Senate is unable to get bipartisan support, it is possible Democratic leaders may attempt to use reconciliation to pass health care reform - a procedural motion to avoid a filibuster - but that move could prove to be troublesome for Democrats and fail to deliver on all of their goals for reform. In the House, Speaker Pelosi continues to announce that they will not pass a reform bill without a public option. AGC remains opposed to the current House bill, H.R. 3200. The bill includes an employer mandate which fails to increase affordability and will restrict job growth through the onerous payroll tax penalty. The bill includes the creation of health care "exchanges," which limit access to all employers and offers tax credits that will help very few employers. The government run public option in the bill will compromise the viability of private insurance and ultimately force all individuals into the public plan.  Additional concerns include the bill's failure to address malpractice reform and expanding the use of Health Savings Accounts. Finally, the income surtax in the bill will impose an additional tax on individuals and some construction employers that are organized as 'S' corporations or other flow-through entities, making it even more difficult for employers to operate and grow their businesses in the current economy.