Sixty votes are needed in the U.S. Senate tonight to open discussion on their version of a health care bill.

Democratic leaders are confident that all 58 Democrats and two independents will vote for discussion at the scheduled vote at 8 p.m.

The measure would call for billions in new taxes for insurers and high-income Americans to help extend coverage to 30 million uninsured people.

Insurance companies also would no longer be allowed to deny coverage to people with medical conditions or drop coverage when someone gets sick.

Republicans say the bill is an unwarranted government intrusion and they call on moderate Democrats to join them in opposing the bill, and not just follow Majority Leader Harry Reid.

"Conservative states represented by more moderate Democrats,
opposition runs even greater than 2 to 1 against this plan," said Republican Arizona Senator John Kyl. "In view of that, it would be our hope that our more moderate colleagues on the Democratic side
would respect the wishes of their constituents rather than do the bidding of Harry Reid."

Meanwhile, Majority Whip Dick Durbin, above, defended the size of the bill, which runs more than 2,000 pages.

"The bill is long because we are tackling one-sixth of the American economy," said Durbin. "We are preparing a bill which will be challenged by the health insurance companies who hate this, as one old senator used to say, like the devil hates holy water."

In the weekly Republican Party's address, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo said the plan would drive up medical costs, raise taxes and increase government spending by up to $2.4 trillion. He also said the plan would cut Medicare for seniors by hundreds of billions of dollars.

"This is not true health care reform, and it is not what the American people want," said Crapo. "This bill will result in higher premiums and higher health care costs for Americans, period."

With the unemployment rate at double digits, Crapo said it is no time for a tax hike.

Under the bill, employers who don't provide health coverage would face a penalty, which Crapo said would lead to reduced wages and lost jobs.

The House of Representatives approved its version of a health care bill two weeks ago by a vote of 220-215.