Democrats Preserving Most 'Back-Room Deals' in Health Care Bill

The Democratic health reform effort may be in trouble, but not enough trouble for its champions to drop some of the "back-room deals" that helped turn much of the American electorate against it, Politico reports. As Democrats work on a way forward for the stalled bill, all of the narrow provisions inserted by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to win over wavering lawmakers will remain except for the "cornhusker kickback" for Nebraska's Ben Nelson.

Nelson agreed to give up his earmark, through which the federal government would have picked up Nebraska's cost for a proposed Medicare expansion. The provision not only turned off the American public, it drew criticism from other congressional Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Not only are the other special arrangements staying in, but House liberals want to add one more: a deal with labor to provide sturdier protections against the tax on "Cadillac" insurance plans included in the Senate bill. Many representatives opposed the excise tax on high-end coverage as a burden on the middle class.