Health care reform: sustained interest follows presidential veto.

Attempts to broaden access to health insurance for small businesses were derailed when the House-Senate conference committee removed The Better Access to Affordable Health Care Act of 1991 (S. 1872), sponsored by Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, from the tax legislation to which it was attached. Alcoholism and drug interest groups had been successful in persuading Sen. Bentsen to make some positive changes in S. 1872.

The Bentsen bill offered small employers two options--a basic benefit and standard benefit. Changes in the standard benefit were made in the Senate Finance Committee mark-up to specifically include alcoholism and drug treatment coverage under the mental health …