In fact, I don't think it's too outrageous to suggest that the Senate won't vote on health reform until next year.

As we sat and waited for developments Tuesday on health care reform, there were rumblings that Senate Democrats won't even get cost estimates from the Congressional Budget Office until next week, which is supposed to be a short work week anyway.

Then those rumblings became reality soon after.

"That's correct. No CBO scores this week," said Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) to a group of reporters just off the Senate floor.

"We're just doing our best to encourage CBO to move as quickly as possible," Baucus added.

That means the earliest a debate could begin would be the week before Thanksgiving in the Senate.

And there was even discussion in the halls of the Capitol that it might not begin until after Turkey Day, because Democrats would still have to finalize their bill, and maybe even make some changes that could require further CBO review.

In other words, it's not going to be a big time rush. And don't forget the likely Parliamentary Slugfest on the floor of the Senate.

If you haven't watched one of those, you'll be in for a C-SPAN treat with lots and lots of time being required to do almost anything.

All that parliamentary maneuvering on the Motion to Proceed and what amendments will be allowed and under what rules, etc., will likely slow progress in the Senate in December.

Add in the holiday desire to get out of town, and it is even starting to get conceivable that the Senate might leave town for the holidays without finishing a health reform bill.

Baucus though was still holding out hope for final action in calendar year 2009.

"It may mean late nights, it may mean weekends," said Baucus, "but I think we can try to get it done."

But that may be overly optimistic. A lot of work is ahead for the Congress on health care reform, that's for sure.

Stay tuned.