NOVEMBER 18, 2009.

Long-Term Care Plan to Be in Bill

By JANET ADAMY and GREG HITT

WASHINGTON -- The Senate's sweeping health bill is expected to call for a new long-term-care insurance program as Democrats move closer to unveiling the legislation.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid could release his bill as soon as Wednesday, after spending weeks assembling it from two bills that passed through Senate committees.

People familiar with the legislation said Tuesday that it would include the long-term-care program, which would pay cash to people if they become disabled. The late Sen. Edward Kennedy pushed to include the provision in the health bill that passed through the Senate health committee, and the House included a similar provision in its bill.

Employees would have a choice of whether to participate in the long-term-care program, and those who did would have premiums deducted from paychecks.

Mr. Reid said Tuesday he expected to introduce legislation soon, and added he was "cautiously optimistic" the bill would attract the 60 votes needed to overcome Republican opposition and move to formal debate. A pivotal vote on the issue could come as soon as Friday, but may drag into early next week.

If Mr. Reid is able to take up the bill, debate would likely begin after the Thanksgiving holiday, and could run for as many as three weeks.

Mr. Reid's bill would allow states to choose not to participate in a new government insurance plan, a nod toward centrists worried about the role of the government in the private sector. Supporters say a government plan is needed to boost competition for health insurers.

Republicans are seizing on new evidence suggesting the health bills won't reduce medical costs, and they are calling for Congress to pass a narrower measure to fix the health system. They argue that Democrats' health proposals do little to help the nearly 85% of Americans who already have insurance.

Write to Janet Adamy at janet.adamy@wsj.com and Greg Hitt at greg.hitt@wsj.com

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