The push for health care reform is moving fast and furiously, so I thought it’d be helpful to have semi-daily “Health on the Hill” updates that should help you keep track of the reform debate and get to the meat of the issue. Enjoy!

Today’s Updates – 11/18/09:

Here’s to progress: Senate Majority Leader Reid will unveil the long-awaited Senate health insurance reform bill tomorrow. We expect to see the cost estimate on the bill today from the Congressional Budget Office — rumor has it that the cost is lower than the House bill (Not surprising since the Senate bill has weaker provisions for reform).

On Friday, the Senate is expected to have a procedural vote that will determine whether debate on the bill can begin (yes, the Senate is a tricky place ). The vote to begin debate should pass — only three moderate Democrats have not committed to allowing the debate: Senators Landrieu of Louisiana, Lincoln of Arkansas and Nelson of Nebraska. However Reid and other Democrats are working hard to get their committment.  Once debate begins, it is expected to last through the month of December (allowing time for amendments) with a goal of passing a health care bill out of the Senate by the Congressional holiday recess.   Want to speed the process along? Do you live/are registered to vote  in Arkansas, Nebraska or Louisiana? If not you can still join in on the action with our friends at SEIU and contact these key Senators and urge them to allow the debate on health care!

News Links:

3 Democrats Could Block Health Bill in Senate

Senator Ben Nelson, Democrat of Nebraska, says he is not sure he is ready to help a Democratic health care proposal clear even the most preliminary hurdle: gaining the 60 votes his party’s leaders need to open debate on the measure later this week.

Senate Democrats plan to unveil healthcare bill

The bill’s release would clear the way for a vote on Friday or Saturday by the full chamber on whether to proceed to debate on the measure — the first key procedural hurdle for the Senate plan.

Reid ‘optimistic’ about getting 60 votes on health bill

The Nevada Democrat would not confirm that he had received commitments from all 60 members of his caucus to overcome GOP procedural objections and bring the bill to the Senate floor, saying only, “I feel cautiously optimistic that we can do that. I think we’re together as a caucus.”