If Congress does not pass a healthcare bill soon, the opportunity to reform the U.S. healthcare system will be lost for a generation, Vice President Joe Biden warned Tuesday.

Biden also said he expected independent Senator Joe Lieberman, who caucuses with Democrats and is a key vote on the healthcare overhaul, would vote in favor of the final version of the bill.

Joe Lieberman has threatened to join Republicans in blocking the bill, complicating Democratic efforts to gather the 60 votes needed to overcome Republican opposition.

I think Joe's judgment is wrong in this, Biden said in an interview on MSNBC. I'm confident Joe is going to see the light, I'm confident he is going to vote for a final bill, but there is an awful lot of gamesmanship going on right now.

Biden said if healthcare did not pass in this Congress it is going to be kicked back for a generation. (Reporting by Ross Colvin; Editing by Doina Chiacu)

Joe biden Congress Healthcare