Insurers emerge as Obama’s top foe on health

Video: Senate finance panel OKs health bill

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   >> very much.

   >>> now to washington and that important hurdle cleared on tuesday for a bill that would overhaul the u.s. health care system . we're going to talk live to maine senator olympia snowe , the lone republican to support that measure, in a moment. but first, nbc's chief white house correspondent chuck todd has the latest. chuck, good morning to you.

   >> reporter: good morning, matt. well, the president's push for health care hasn't been the smoothest process over the last few months, but tuesday a big booster shot of confidence.

   >> we are now closer than ever before to passing health reform .

   >> reporter: president obama 's push for health care got renewed momentum tuesday when the most influential senate committee passed a health care bill that included something the others didn't, a republican supporter.

   >> i do it with reservations.

   >> reporter: but a yes vote is a yes vote, and the president noticed.

   >> and i want to particularly thank senator olympia snowe for both the political courage and the seriousness of purpose that she's demonstrated throughout this process.

   >> reporter: but the president admitted the obvious.

   >> there's still significant details and disagreements.

   >> reporter: and those disagreements between the house and two different bills in the senate still have to be worked out, and they are very different. on cost, the senate finance bill would total $829 billion. the senate health committee bill $645 billion. and a house version, more than $1.2 trillion. on the deficit, the senate finance bill subtracts $81 billion, but the other two bills add to the deficit. on coverage, the senate finance insures 25 million of the uninsured. senate health gets the number up to 34 million. but the house bill only covers 17 million. the most politically sensitive negotiation will involve the so-called public option, a government-run health plan . the white house is non-committal.

   >> he strongly believes in it, but if there's another way to achieve it -- senator snowe has the idea of a trigger -- people have to look at that.

   >> reporter: other than snowe, republicans are united against any of the current versions.

   >> this package is going in the wrong direction.

   >> it will cause health care premiums for millions to go up, not down.

   >> reporter: which is why the end game for the white house is about keeping together a fragile coalition of 60 democratic senators and 1 republican.

   >> i believe the bill before us still falls short.

   >> my vote today is my vote today. it doesn't forecast what my vote will be tomorrow.

   >> i never count chickens before they're hatched.

   >> reporter: now, matt, the insurance industry is fighting back. they're up with tv advertisements targeting some of these conservative democrats who could waiver in places like louisiana, colorado, new mexico. by the way, the full senate is expected to begin debating a full bill the week of october 26th . matt?

   >> thank you, chuck todd at

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