December 4th, 2009

Reports Reuters:

On the fourth day of a sometimes bitter debate, the Senate voted 61-39 for an amendment to improve access to women’s screenings for diseases like cancer and diabetes by eliminating insurance co-pays and deductibles for them.

The move follows last month’s controversy over federal task force recommendations that women delay regular mammograms for breast cancer and from a doctor’s group that women delay pap smears for cervical cancer.

“This amendment makes sure that the insurance companies must cover the basic preventive care that women need at no cost,” said Democratic Senator Barbara Mikulski, sponsor of the amendment.

On a 58-42 vote, Democrats also backed the bill’s cuts of more than $400 billion in the Medicare health program for the elderly. Republicans said the cuts would mean fewer benefits for seniors, but Democrats said they would eliminate waste and improve the program’s fiscal health.

The votes broke a two-day Senate stalemate that had stalled progress on the healthcare bill, President Barack Obama’s top domestic priority. On Wednesday night, party leaders finally agreed on a timeline for the votes.

Read more at Reuters.