With the Senate Finance Committee mark up over (at least temporarily) -- we're only a CBO score away from having all health care bills voted out of their respective committees. The next step is merging the two Senate health care bills: the current Finance bill and the HELP bill. (HELP finished its marathon mark up session back in July).

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is taking point in this monumental task. Any and every Senator interested in health care wants to be in on the action when Reid merges the bills, but he's keeping the seating limited.Politico writes,

Reid has decided to keep the group intimate, limiting entree to Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.); Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), who ushered the bill through the Senate health committee; and top White House aides, according to a Senate leadership source.

The majority leader began sending out word this week that the fastest way to get a bill to the floor is by controlling the size of the negotiating team. But he is bound to frustrate those senators who have been angling for position like wannabe starlets looking for a way into the hottest party.

Though the group is small, a Senate leadership source told Politico, "everyone's view will be well-represented."