November 7, 2009 in News

Sweeping health care overhaul passes House

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WASHINGTON — In a victory for President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled House narrowly passed landmark health care legislation Saturday night to expand coverage to tens of millions who lack it and place tough new restrictions on the insurance industry. Republican opposition was nearly unanimous.

The 220-215 vote cleared the way for the Senate to begin debate on the issue that has come to overshadow all others in Congress.

A triumphant Speaker Nancy Pelosi likened the legislation to the passage of Social Security in 1935 and Medicare 30 years later.

“It provides coverage for 96 percent of Americans. It offers everyone, regardless of health or income, the peace of mind that comes from knowing they will have access to affordable health care when they need it,” said Rep. John Dingell, the 83-year-old Michigan lawmaker who has introduced national health insurance in every Congress since succeeding his father in 1955.

In the run-up to a final vote, conservatives from the two political parties joined forces to impose tough new restrictions on abortion coverage in insurance policies to be sold to many individuals and small groups. They prevailed on a roll call of 240-194.

Ironically, that only solidified support for the legislation, clearing the way for conservative Democrats to vote for it.

The legislation would require most Americans to carry insurance and provide federal subsidies to those who otherwise could not afford it. Large companies would have to offer coverage to their employees. Both consumers and companies would be slapped with penalties if they defied the government’s mandates.

Insurance industry practices such as denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions would be banned, and insurers would no longer be able to charge higher premiums on the basis of gender or medical history. In a further slap, the industry would lose its exemption from federal antitrust restrictions on price gouging, bid rigging and market allocation.

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Three comments on this story so far. Add yours!

• 

  SniperCraig on November 07 at 10:21 p.m.

  Well, let me see how this works. According to some highlights I have read…

  My wife & I can either earn over $102,100 a year pre-taxes and pay $20,300 a year in health care premiums and out-of-pocket obligations, or lose everything we have work so hard for and then go to prison.

  OR

  My wife & I can earn less than $102,100 but more than $44,000 a year pre-taxes and pay $7,300 a year in mandatory health care premiums and out-of-pocket obligations, or lose everything we have worked so hard for and then go to prison.

  OR

  If we earn less than $44,000 a year pre-taxes then YOU will pay for our health care through subsidies that go directly to my health care provider.

  I can promise two things;

  1) Nobody will find it easy to take away my possessions due to a 'tax lien' for a service I do not want, need, can afford, nor will I pay for.

  2) Nobody will ever imprison my wife or I.

  Flag as inappropriate

• 

  Sugar Shane on November 07 at 11:32 p.m.

  Well Craig, we all know what happens to people that resist arrest in spokane, plan to be tazed and hogtied or shot. Its not about what you “want” its about equality and affordable health care for everyone, not just the priviledged few. The US is one of the few first world countries that doesn't cover all of its citizens. Sorry you wont be able to afford that new lexus or suv or you may have to move out of your 300k house. If your making over 100k a year I highly doubt that you worked so hard all your life for it. Oh god how will you ever survive on 80k a year. Odds are that you had access to an education and are paid way too much for what you do. Get over it. Im tired of wealthy people whining about how bad they have it and how its not the governments job to redistribute wealth. Capitalism doesnt work, and the will of the few governing the many is the way things are set up now. What a greedy miser you must be, and a sad excuse for a human being.

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• 

  Lulubelle on November 08 at 9:39 a.m.

  Sniper - here's another option.

  Instead of paying a health insurance premium, you can opt to spend your money on more big boy toys and ignore your obligation to protect you and your family with health care coverage.
  You drop over with a heart attack, your wife gets breast cancer, your kids break a leg……who pays???……me and everybody else who choses to accept our responsibility to cover ourselves for medical expenses.

  You drive a car and you're required to have insurance, you mortgage a house and you're required to have insurance. Insurance not only protects you from unfortunate turns of event, but it protects everyone else too.

  I don't want the added liability just so you can enjoy all those things “you worked so hard for”. We all work hard. What's more important….more “stuff” or taking care of yourself and your family?

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