Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) will sit down with Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and other key senators Tuesday to begin divvying up jurisdiction over the coming legislative push on healthcare reform.

“The healthcare system is broken for individual Americans and it's straining our economy," said Baucus, who called for immediate action on health reform. “We have a duty to enact it in law this year,” he said.

“I want to work with all the committees — and I mean that,” Baucus said. “I don't know if it'll be one bill or whatnot,” he added.

Baucus also said he plans to collaborate with his House counterparts and Obama's administration.

Kennedy, who favors a one-bill strategy, began laying groundwork for the Senate Democratic health reform effort during the summer. The longtime advocate for universal healthcare, who is ailing from a brain tumor, has vowed to focus his energies on the issue this year.

But it was Baucus who laid down the first marker when he released a “white paper” on health reform last week. Despite lacking Kennedy's celebrity and national profile on health issues, Baucus chairs a powerful panel and has considerable experience on major healthcare legislation.

Kennedy has signaled that Democrats will base their health reform legislation on Obama's proposals, and Baucus's outline is largely consistent with that approach. By being first out of the gate with concrete principles, Baucus aims to assert a prominent role in next year's effort.

“This is probably going to be the bible that everyone is going to look at,” Baucus said of his white paper. Broadly, the proposal seeks to strengthen the current health insurance system while increasing government spending, regulation and organization to increase coverage.

Obama telephoned Baucus to discuss health reform over this past weekend, Baucus said.