CRITICAL CONDITION: Health care hangs in the balance

LUTZ, FL -- What happens when you're an interior designer and your husband owns a construction company and the housing market tanks?

"It became time to get creative," says Kim Roche, owner of a new thrift shop in Lutz called "Felicitous".

"We have a little of this and a little of that, I mean everything from A to Z," she says.

Roche says she's got everything from pastry to purses. But she is lacking one thing, health insurance.

"We just could not, absolutely could not, afford it. I mean, it's gotten down to the absolute basics of trying to pay for a roof over our head and pay for groceries."

Kim and her family are among the millions without health insurance waiting on Washington, where health care reform hangs in the balance.

"When it comes to the details, there are some things the conservative Democrats can't give that the liberal Democrats are demanding."

University of South Florida political analyst Dr. Susan MacManus says as we get closer to the Christmas deadline and 2010 election year, some Democrats and Independents might be getting cold feet on reform despite changes aimed at pleasing all.

"The Medicare issue, which seemed to us a solution, is turning out to be catastrophic from a financial perspective," MacManus says.

Senate Democrats proposed opening up Medicare to people over 55 as a substitute for a broader public option and now that idea might need a substitute to win over 60 votes.

But as Washington waffles, Kim Roche waits.

"It’s just a wish on the wish list for down the road and you walk on egg shells," she says.

Tuesay night in Washington, Senators still debating were expected to vote on some amendments. We expect to see this throughout the week as we close in on the end of year deadline set by the President.