Health Care Reform Bill

Landmark Health Care Bill Narrowly Passes House

Saturday night was a late night on Capitol Hill. But lawmakers were not there to welcome some head of states while feasting on an extravagant 5-course meal.
The only thing these lawmakers were nibbling on were their fingernails as they anxiously awaited the excruciatingly slow vote on health care reform.

Prior to the vote, the president took advantage of an opportunity to appear in person and urge passage of a bill that he reminded legislators will have historical significance. Apparently, many were swayed by the president’s last-minute cheering because, much to everyone’s surprise, the bill passed, although just barely. 220 votes were in favor of the bill, and 215 votes, including 39 votes cast by Democrats, opposed the bill.

That slim victory was enough for most democrats, as well as President Obama himself, to do a quick little happy dance to celebrate the hard-won victory.

And quick that little dance was. Moments after House approval of the bill was announced, Senate Republicans vowed to mount an even bigger battle against the House version while pushing their own version of health care reform.


Speaker Nancy Pelosi, center, is joined by (L-R) Majority Whip James Clyburn, and Rep. George Miller, D-Calif. during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009 in Washington after the passage in the house of the health care reform bill. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Highlights of the 1,990 page House bill:

• Provides affordable access to health care
• Most Americans would be required to carry health insurance
• Large companies would be required to offer employees health insurance
• Penalties would be imposed for failure to carry/offer health insurance
• No more denials based on pre-existing medical conditions
• The practice of charging higher premiums based on gender and health history would end
• Coverage for abortions significantly restricted
• Establishment of federally overseen insurance co-ops or exchanges (public option) offering health insurance plans for consumers
• Total cost estimated at $1.2 trillion over 10 years
• A 5.4% tax surcharge on individuals earning more than $500,000 and families earning more than $1 million, combined with a decade of cuts to Medicaid, is the proposed method of paying for expanded health coverage.

Even with the Senate promising fierce opposition, the president is confidently predicting passage of health care reform legislation. The president and democrats want to keep the momentum going and pass some form of health care reform before the end of this year.

A short-lived victory?

“Dead on arrival” is the way one republican Senator characterized the House version of health reform legislation. Senators are opposed to much of what is included in the House version. The public option may be a deal killer. In addition, the cost of reform, while still greatly unknown, is believed to be too great for Americans to bear, especially with the economy still in flux. Also causing much controversy is the last minute inclusion of tighter restrictions on abortion. Including the wording helped gain the necessary House votes, but it also enraged pro-choice advocates.

No doubt the battle over health care reform will rage on. If nothing else, the coming months are sure to be some of the most exciting Capitol Hill has experienced in a very long time!