health care changes

As President Obama sits down with Congressional leaders to talk about health care, one big dividing line between Democrats and Republicans is how ambitious they are about changing the existing system.

The GOP mantra has been that the U.S. should proceed "step by step." The Obama administration argues that the most important steps only work in combination.

House Republicans are questioning whether the senior citizens lobby is putting its potential for profit ahead of its members' interests.

It seems that whenever health care changes are debated, one party or the other seeks to undermine the organization's clout.

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The White House insists that President Obama is not backing away from health care changes that include a federal option for the sale of health insurance.

Even though some Democrats want to hold on to what's known as the public option, the plan is losing appeal.

A likely alternative to that plan is a network of nonprofit health co-ops.

President Obama holds town hall meetings in Raleigh, N.C., and Bristol, Va., on Wednesday. Raleigh is a fast-growing urban center where Obama did well in last year's election.

But the president was far less popular in the mountain town of Bristol. He's expected to face challenges in Appalachia pushing changes to health care.

The official debate on overhauling health care began Wednesday on Capitol Hill. Two Senate committees wrestled with difficult questions of how to design and pay for the health care changes.

The committees looked to three former Senate leaders for suggestions on a possible compromise.

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