Health Care Reform Bill Passed. World Did Not End.
Late Sunday night, House Democrats passed the health care reform bill after more than a year of negotiations, debates, threats and downright refusal from Republicans in the House–none of which crossed that aisle they often love bringing up during election season, claiming they have no problem crossing.
Many Americans who oppose this health care reform bill, mainly conservatives, claim that while they also believe we are in need of health care reform, we don’t need it now and that there are other problems plaguing the American people that are more pressing, which is complete bullshit since most, if not all, of those opposed to the health care reform bill are insured and are wealthy enough to make sure that they could always be insured under the former health care system. Those who were opposed to this health care bill also say that we don’t need it this way, which I agree with, if not for the same reasons.
We could have done without a lot of what the health care reform bill brings to the health care system. What we, the Democrats, the Libertarians, the people of no political affiliation because it’s all corrupt; no matter which way you look at it, what we wanted was a public option. Instead of having the health insurance door open for an additional 32 million uninsured US citizens, we wanted it open for all US citizens and at an affordable cost. We wanted health care to be seen as a right, rather than a responsibility. We wanted House Republicans to see the light and have it dawn on them that they wanted to be part of a country who puts their citizens first. But we did not get that and House Republicans did not get to downright refuse yet another bill. Although, with a great deal of soppy poetry throughout the health care reform debate, they did convince each other that their American people did not need health care reform, therefore they shouldn’t vote for it; and not one Republican did.
The health care reform bill was passed with a 219-212 vote. The House also voted 220-211 in favor of changes to the legislation that came out of negotiations between the House, Senate and the White House. The bill comes with very serious problems and still caters to health insurance companies, but it is a major improvement to what we had, if not what we wanted completely.
The health care reform bill will cost $940 billion over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office. With an undoubtedly hefty price tag, the cost of the bill will actually be offset by savings in Medicare and by new taxes and fees–a tax on high-cost employer-sponsored health plans and a tax on the investment income of the most affluent Americans. The bill will also reduce federal budget deficits by $143 billion in the next 10 years and by $1 trillion within its second decade. That point alone had persuaded some of the more fiscally conservative Democrats to support this reform bill.
This bill will give health insurance to 32 million Americans who are currently uninsured and who live in fear of becoming sick or having an accident that leaves them in need of hospital care with no way to pay for it later. Major coverage expansion will begin in 2014 and when this time comes, 95% of eligible Americans will have health insurance, compared to the 83% today. Yes, this bill does mandate that almost everyone must purchase health insurance, however, what those who are pushing the “insurance mandate is socialism and it’s the most horrible thing in the world and I’m leaving the country” melodrama are not saying is that this mandate will not go into effect until 2014, so you don’t have to run out tomorrow and pick out health insurance; you have 4 years until then and there is also an exemption for low-income people. An exemption for low-income people? Does this mean that the poorest of American citizens will still see themselves uninsured regardless of the fact that they are the Americans who need health insurance the most? Pretty much, yes. That’s why we wanted a public option, so the public could acquire health insurance and obtain health care they are in dire need of.
The bill also:
- Creates insurance exchanges. The uninsured, self-employed and small businesses are able to purchase insurance through state-based exchanges. For those who make up between 100 and 400 percent of the federal poverty level will have help made available to them to purchase insurance through the exchange.
- Expands Medicaid to cover those who make up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level. Again, to push back the smears of this bill created by the right, undocumented immigrants are not eligible for Medicaid and there is an additional ban that will not allow undocumented immigrants from purchasing insurance with their own money within the newly-created exchanges.
- Closes the so-called “donut hole” in Medicare, which is a costly gap in prescription drug coverage for seniors. Under this bill, prescription drug prices for seniors will be lowered, making them more affordable to those who need them.
- Bans higher premiums and denial of coverage by health insurance companies because of pre-existing conditions and because of gender. A woman will no longer be charged higher premiums just because she is a woman.
- Requires health insurance companies to cover maternity care.
- Allows children to continue to be covered under their parent’s health insurance plans until the age 26. This will ensure coverage to those who are pursuing higher education until the time they either graduate or are just about to finish grad school.
- Free preventative services and immunizations for all!
One of the “hot button” issues within the health care reform debate was, of course, abortion, thanks to anti-choice Democrats like Bart Stupak, who worked out language with the White House on an executive order that would state (ie: reiterate because of the already in place Hyde Amendment) that no federal funds can be used to pay for abortions, except in cases of rape, incest or health of the mother. The bill segregates private insurance premium funds from taxpayer funds and mandates that no health care plan would be required to offer abortion coverage. States are also free to pass legislation choosing to opt out of offering abortion coverge through their exchange.
For even further breakdowns of the new health care reform bill, see the Huffington Post and CBS News.
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I'm so glad to see this get passed, although i really wished they included public option but this is better than nothing.
I am glad to hear that the bill passed. To my mind, these steps should have been taken long time ago. Anyway, let's see what will happen in the future.
This is a win for the people of America. Get this reform bill done will really a great help for those who don't have an insurance.
I don't know why dems call that bill health care reform. Lots of things are being reformed but health care isn't one of them
Why is health care expensive ?
700 billion a year in useless tests, that's meant to cover your ass if you are a doctor, so no one can sue you. Does the bill offer tort reform ? (i.e. can't sue doctors when they mess up) Nope. (80% of the 10 year cost of the bill)
I'm not actualy for tort reform, I like useless tests that aren't useless at all, they save lives by double en even triple checking. Let's just recognize we like to be sure when it comes to health and don't mind paying for it. Otherwise we'd reform tort.
Another reason we pay through the nose is we don't do ANY prevention in the current system. We'll pay 300k $ for a heart transplant but no insurance company will pay 150$ a month to send you to the gym so you won't ever need one.
But we don't like being told what to do so we pay for that too.
Thirdly, quality health care simply comes at a very high price. Unlike in the UK were they do a cost/benefit for every procedure, we don't. If it exists, it must be available, that's another CHOICE for which we pay money. Lots of it. Another thing not being reformed by the way.
Finaly, a large chunck of the expense is coming from the fact that what we have in the US isn't realy insurance at all but prepaid medical benefits. Insurance should only cover large expenses, like your car insurance. You would'nt use it for a little thing like a broken rear view mirror right? Well your health insurance will cover you if you break your thumb or toe and even such a minor injury will require well trained staff with years of studies and some advanced medical technologies. Obviously this is necessary but it's sure as hell not the idea behing “insurance”.
So as you can see the US doesn't have a coverage problem but a cost problem. The coverage problem spans from the high cost created by the insured. In other word the people out there that can't afford a decent plan on their own can because the ressources are being used up entirely with those with the most bargaining power.
Instead of realocating these ressources, that would be reform, we legistlate to include more people in this broken system and put a band aid on top of it
Okay, I just want to say THANK YOU for writing this post. I've been hearing friends (conservatives) pan this bill in the vaguest of terms and I haven't had time to dig past the media bias and political grandstanding to get the bare facts about what the bill contains. Isn't that a shame? Having democratic process only works if everyone has access to actual facts, and lately facts seem thin on the ground. Regardless, now I've got some hard facts to throw down when the nay-sayers start nay-ing. Excellent!
Legislation has now been passed that determines who will be covered and who pays the bills. Now we need to address the REAL problem – that our current mainstream medical care system is badly broken. Mike Adams, editor of NaturalNews, In part, he writes …
“The results of our broken sick-care system speak for themselves: America has the fattest, most diseased and most medically-bankrupt population in the world. That's not an exaggeration, it's a statistical fact. Western medicine does not work.
thats really nice information thanks