Former Senator Tom Daschle says health care reform legislation has about a 50-50 chance of passing Congress.
Daschle made the remarks at a health care symposium in Baltimore sponsored by Stifel Nicolaus and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
The former Majority leader said he expects the nation to move toward a hybrid form of health care that will include both government and private sector involvement.
Daschle told ABC2 the President's address to Congress helped move the debate in Washington.
A key advisor to the administration on health care reform, Daschle said he would like to see a bi-partisan bill, but said the Democrats are prepared to move forward alone if necessary.
Monday night a key senate committee announced plans to unveil a new bill as early as mid week that would keep the cost of reform under $880 million over ten years.
Debate on the legislation could begin as soon as next week.
