11/9/09 HC Reform Update by Mark Sanna: The White House, growing concerned that the Congressional timetable for passing a health care overhaul could slip into next year, is stepping up pressure on the Senate for quick action. In the Senate the bill is stalled while budget analysts assess its overall costs. Unlike the House bill, which pays to extend coverage by taxing individuals who earn more than $500,000 a year and couples who earn more than $1 million, the Senate bill imposes a 40 % excise tax on so-called Cadillac plans that cost more than $8,000 a year for an individual or $21,000 for a family. And unlike the House bill, which includes a national public plan, the Senate measure would allow states to opt out.