HARRY WHO?:

Dem thumbs down to Reid doctors deal (Alexander Bolton, 10/20/09, The Hill)

Sens. Kent Conrad (N.D.), Evan Bayh (Ind.), Russ Feingold (Wis.), Tom Carper (Del.) and Claire McCaskill (Mo.) on Tuesday voiced opposition to separate legislation that would freeze scheduled cuts in Medicare payments to doctors for the next 10 years.

Passing the “doctors’ fix” on the Senate floor this week is central to Reid’s (D-Nev.) strategy for passing a broad healthcare reform bill in coming weeks. Reid told doctors groups in a private meeting last week that he would bring the payment fix bill to the floor but that in return he expected their help in passing the healthcare package later this year.

But the five Democrats are insisting that the legislation, which costs $247 billion, be offset with spending cuts or tax increases.