Senate Looks for Possible Compromises on Public Option

Supporters believe the compromise would be enough to inject more competition into the exchanges. Detractors have said that the total costs could be too high for those who could use the services.

Meanwhile, other parts of the bill remain hotly debated, such as the amendment proposed by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D ND), that would permit pharmacies and wholesalers to import less expensive drugs from countries with comparable safety standards.

As a senator, President Obama had supported efforts in the Senate to permit this drug importation. However, the White House is not likely to promote this idea heavily because it could challenge current pharmaceutical industry support for the bill—support Obama does not appear to want to lose.

Industry support is considered a key to passage. That is why the White House negotiated a controversial deal to limit the financial effect of the overhaul on the industry in exchange for its support.

Earlier this week, the Food and Drug Administration announced in a letter that it opposed Dorgan's amendment because it would be "logistically challenging" to implement and raised "significant" concerns about drug safety.