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March 21, 2010 in News, Nation/World
Historic health reform measure clears Congress
Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., guestures as he walks through statuary hall as the House prepares to vote on health care reform in the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Sunday, March 21, 2010.
(Full-size photo)(All photos)
WASHINGTON — Summoned to success by President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled Congress approved historic legislation Sunday night extending health care to tens of millions of uninsured Americans and cracking down on insurance company abuses, a climactic chapter in the century-long quest for near universal coverage.
“This is what change looks like,” Obama said a few moments later in televised remarks that stirred memories of his 2008 campaign promise of “change we can believe in.”
Widely viewed as dead two months ago, the Senate-passed bill cleared the House on a 219-212 vote. Republicans were unanimous in opposition, joined by 34 dissident Democrats.
A second, smaller measure — making changes in the first — cleared the House shortly before midnight and was sent to the Senate, where Democratic leaders said they had the votes necessary to pass it quickly. The vote was 220-211.
Obama’s young presidency received a badly needed boost as a deeply divided Congress passed legislation touching the lives of nearly every American. The battle for the future of the health insurance system — affecting one-sixth of the economy — galvanized Republicans and conservative activists looking ahead to November’s midterm elections.
Far beyond the political ramifications — a concern the president repeatedly insisted he paid no mind — were the sweeping changes the bill held in store for Americans, insured or not, as well as the insurance industry and health care providers that face either smaller than anticipated payments from Medicare or higher taxes.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the legislation awaiting the president’s approval would extend coverage to 32 million Americans who lack it, ban insurers from denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions and cut deficits by an estimated $138 billion over a decade. If realized, the expansion of coverage would include 95 percent of all eligible individuals under age 65.
For the first time, most Americans would be required to purchase insurance, and face penalties if they refused. Much of the money in the bill would be devoted to subsidies to help families at incomes of up to $88,000 a year pay their premiums.
The second measure, which House Democrats demanded before agreeing to approve the first, included enough money to close a gap in the Medicare prescription drug coverage over the next decade, starting with an election-season rebate of $250 later this year for seniors facing high costs.
Much of the cost would be covered by the pharmaceutical industry, which made a deal months ago with the White House in which it pledged to spend lavishly on television ads to help pass the bill.
It also included sweeping changes in the student loan program, an administration priority that has been stalled in the Senate for months. It would have the government originate all student loans, denying banks and other private lenders of a lucrative business they have long had. Much of the savings would go into increased Pell Grants for needy college students, but black and Hispanic colleges would also benefit.
More coverage
For the president, the events capped an 18-day stretch in which he traveled to four states and lobbied more than 60 wavering lawmakers in person or by phone to secure passage of his signature domestic issue. According to some who met with him, he warned that the bill’s demise could cripple his still-young presidency, and his aides hoped to use the victory on health care as a springboard to success on bills to tackle stubbornly high unemployment that threatens Democratic prospects in the fall.
Obama watched the vote in the White House’s Roosevelt Room with Vice President Joe Biden and dozens of aides, exchanged high fives with Rahm Emanuel, his chief of staff, and then telephoned Speaker Nancy Pelosi with congratulations.
“We proved that we are still a people capable of doing big things,” he said later in the White House East Room. “We proved that this government — a government of the people and by the people — still works for the people.
Crowds of protesters outside the Capitol shouted “just vote no” in a futile attempt to stop the inevitable taking place inside a House packed with lawmakers and ringed with spectators in the galleries above.
Across hours of debate, House Democrats predicted the larger of the two bills, costing $940 billion over a decade, would rank with other great social legislation of recent decades.
“We will be joining those who established Social Security, Medicare and now, tonight, health care for all Americans, said Pelosi, D-Calif., partner to Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in the grueling campaign to pass the legislation.
“This is the civil rights act of the 21st century,” added Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, the top-ranking black member of the House.
Republicans readily agreed the bill would affect everyone in America, but warned repeatedly of the burden imposed by more than $900 billion in tax increases and Medicare cuts combined.
“We have failed to listen to America,” said Rep. John Boehner of Ohio, leader of a party that has vowed to carry the fight into the fall’s midterm elections for control of Congress.
The final obstacle to the bill’s passage was cleared at mid-afternoon when Obama and Democratic leaders reached a compromise with anti-abortion lawmakers whose rebellion had left the outcome in doubt. The White House announced the president would issue an executive order pledging that no federal funds would be used for elective abortion, satisfying Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan and a handful of like-minded lawmakers.
A spokesman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops expressed skepticism that the presidential order would satisfy the church’s objections.
Republican abortion foes also said Obama’s proposed order was insufficient, and when Stupak sought to counter them, a shout of “baby killer” could be heard coming from the Republican side of the chamber.
The measure would also usher in a significant expansion of Medicaid, the federal-state health care program for the poor. Coverage would be required for incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, $29,327 a year for a family of four. Childless adults would be covered for the first time, starting in 2014.
The insurance industry, which spent millions on advertising trying to block the bill, would come under new federal regulation. They would be forbidden from placing lifetime dollar limits on policies, from denying coverage to children because of pre-existing conditions and from canceling policies when a policyholder becomes ill.
Parents would be able to keep children up to age 26 on their family insurance plans, three years longer than is now the case.
A new high-risk pool would offer coverage to uninsured people with medical problems until 2014, when the coverage expansion would go into high gear.
Obama has said often that presidents of both parties have tried without success to achieve national health insurance, beginning with Theodore Roosevelt early in the 20th century.
The 44th president’s quest to succeed where others have failed seemed at a dead end two months ago, when Republicans won a special election for a Massachusetts Senate seat, and with it, the votes to prevent a final vote.
But the White House, Pelosi and Reid soon came up with a rescue plan that required the House to approve the Senate-passed measure despite opposition to many of its provisions, then have both houses pass a fix-it measure incorporating numerous changes.
To pay for the changes, the legislation includes more than $400 billion in higher taxes over a decade, roughly half of it from a new Medicare payroll tax on individuals with incomes over $200,000 and couples over $250,000. A new excise tax on high-cost insurance policies was significantly scaled back in deference to complaints from organized labor.
In addition, the bills cut more than $500 billion from planned payments to hospitals, nursing homes, hospices and other providers that treat Medicare patients. An estimated $200 billion would reduce planned subsidies to insurance companies that offer a private alternative to traditional Medicare.
The insurance industry warned that seniors would face sharply higher premiums as a result, and the Congressional Budget Office said many would return to traditional Medicare as a result.
The subsidies are higher than those for seniors on traditional Medicare, a difference that critics complain is wasteful, but insurance industry officials argue goes into expanded benefits.
© Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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remymartin on March 21 at 8:04 p.m.
Hello to obama’s progressive society of far more taxes, government control, and the huge loss of freedom. Goodby to the America of my childhood when America was this great and wonderful country. As pelosi has said, you won’t know what all is in this bill until after we pass it! Incredible!
JBlim on March 21 at 8:24 p.m.
Republicans must now face the facts. You lost. This is a major defeat for the Republican Party, no matter how main stream media tries to spin it. Republicans had eight long miserable years to prove their no regulation, tax cuts for the wealthy, pro business dogma. But we all know it was an utter failure. Republicans had better go back to the drawing board. Nobody is buying the rhetoric anymore, except for a few hate-radio fueled, brain dead zombies. The passage of health reform is a great victory of enlightened progressive principles over economic fundamentalism.
Diana on March 21 at 8:43 p.m.
Oh, noes! Does this mean they’re gonna come and get grandma?
NWA330 on March 21 at 8:53 p.m.
Sorry, JBlim…. but the Democrats need to face the facts. The fight is not over… It has only just begun. Republicans will take it to the courts, the state legislatures, and the polls in November. Americans DO NOT want socialized medicine!
schleufer on March 21 at 9:40 p.m.
the republicans kept saying if this passed that the dems would lose in the upcoming election, i think they kept saying that because they know it is going to be the other way around. its going to be interesting to see how the republicans try to paint the dems as a failure when they managed to finally after nearly 100 years got er done. now its time to rub it in and never let em forget it, especially at the polls. boehner is going to be the first to be sent to the unemployment line….
Dazzeetrader11 on March 21 at 9:42 p.m.
Far from over….lots of procedural matters and then comes the Senate work. Beyond that , the Supremes will have a say so in this bill that madates that everyone buy insurance or face a $2000 plus fine if they don’t. Idiocy seems to rule when people cite mandated auto insurance….the fundamental issue that guts their argument is that nobody must buy a car to get to the insurance. Thus nobody MUST buy auto insurance.
There is a basic conflict. Obama with his buyouts and bribes has to be the most corrupt pol we’ve seen in years. Delay till the Nov elections and then we’ll see who won…..who REALLY won. This is why America isn’t working so well. SOmething for nothing…except someone has to pay for these handouts that ‘ll break the US Bank. Guaranteed he’ll be a one term…it’s take time to unravel his sins….it will happen though. Defiance of the will of the people rarely secures a bright future. Now let’s watch those polls dive…If it wasn’t enough to watch NJ, Virginia and then Mass return to Republicanism…, the other Dems will see how foolish they were to let themselves be bought.
crikey on March 21 at 9:59 p.m.
GOP didn’t lose, America almost did. Thank God there are enough true Constitutionalists to insure this will never be the way of the US. Already, 37 states have declared their sovereignty will disallow this socialism in their states. Our neighbors in Idaho, vowed to charge and prosecute any agent(s) that might come in to try to cram this crap down their throats.
The Dems lost big ~ their integrity, their unity and thousands of their constituent voters by refusing to see that this was about egos, and not we the people. By 2014, when this b.s plan is supposed to kick in, obama will be impeached and hopefully his village idiot back in Kenya, and his great and wondrous plan more shredded than what these domestic terrorists have tried to do to our Constitution.
Poohbear on March 21 at 10:03 p.m.
Schleufer, I draw your attention to realclearpolitics.com. The poll numbers there show a completely different picture from the one that you are trying to paint. The truth of the matter is that a majority of US citizens did not want this bill passed. Now that the Democrats have gone ahead and, after many a backroom deal (it’s gonna be fun to watch those trickle out in the coming days and weeks by the way), passed this bill it will be really interesting to watch the process unfold, primarily in the courts.
If anyone thought the knashing of teeth from the liberals was loud after the Supreme Court overturned portions of McCain/Feingold it will be deafening when the Court speaks out on the Federal government forcing all of the citizenry to purchase health insurance (10th Amendment anyone?).
Come January of next year I believe that there will be a strong possibility that Congressman Boehner will have a new job: primarily that of Speaker of the House of Representatives.
schleufer on March 21 at 10:08 p.m.
the last time a republican said ” you are doin a heck of a job brownie” didnt pan out either. im thinking his new found popularity just tanked.
edmitch on March 21 at 10:19 p.m.
JBlim, I am one of the 1 in 6 Americans who have been responsibly purchasing our own insurance policies and paying all out of pocket expenses ourselves. According to the Congressional Budget Office about half of those will receive some subsidy and half (or 1 in 12) will not. The CBO estimates we will have to pay $15,000 and $20,000 per year - more than double what we pay today. Those are the facts. There are no tax breaks under this bill for the 1 in 12 of us who are screwed. This legislation throws 1 in 12 of us under the bus.
I have repeatedly asked my elected representatives about this disproportionate cost assigned to us and they do not answer the question. I am very disappointed at the lack of concern or even empathy with the plight of those of us who will be hit brutally by this bill. The response from the Democratic Party has been an outstretched middle finger.
Lacking any consideration on this issue, I was given no choice - today I became a Republican - I can no longer afford to ever again vote for a Democrat.
effrepublicans on March 21 at 10:57 p.m.
Thank goodness that this bill passed. Totally agree with JBim. Republicans, conservatives, teabaggers or whatever you want to call them had their opportunity to see that we improve our society. But in the 8 years they had their chance they started two illegal wars, approved the use of torture, and allowed its own citizens to drown from a natural disaster. And all we hear from them now is, don’t you dare make me pay one cent more to help out another human being. What a disgrace! Time and time again the post 2000 republican party sounds like the beginnings of the Nazi party in the 1930s. Only waiting for a revisit of Kristallnacht to happen. They already have the 21st Century’s version of the concentration camp formed in Guantanamo Bay.
zelda on March 21 at 11:11 p.m.
I’m so glad to know that Idaho stands ready to inflict citizens’ arrests on any federal worker who shows up to shove socialized medicine down their goiter-swollen necks.
I’m envisioning a bunch of Gomer Pyles running around in circles screaming, “Citizen’s arrest! Citizen’s arrest!”
Scoutster on March 21 at 11:25 p.m.
From Wikipedia:
Many conservatives strongly opposed the enactment of Medicare, warning that a government-run program would lead to socialism in America:
* Ronald Reagan, as part of Operation Coffee Cup in 1961, stated that: “[I]f you don’t [stop Medicare] and I don’t do it, one of these days you and I are going to spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it once was like in America when men were free.”[65]
* George H. W. Bush, while a candidate for the US Senate in 1964, described Medicare as “socialized medicine.”[66]
* Barry Goldwater in 1964: “Having given our pensioners their medical care in kind, why not food baskets, why not public housing accommodations, why not vacation resorts, why not a ration of cigarettes for those who smoke and of beer for those who drink.”[67]
* In 1995 Bob Dole stated that he was one of 12 House members who voted against creating Medicare in 1965. “I was there, fighting the fight, voting against Medicare … because we knew it wouldn’t work in 1965.” [68]
Of course, this is different. This is The End of Civilization As We Know It.
John_Waite on March 21 at 11:35 p.m.
I’m SO PROUD that I’m neither a Republican or Democrat. This un-American bi-partisan thread makes me sick…
Vote Independent/3rd party - www.makegovwork.org
Dazzeetrader11 on March 21 at 11:45 p.m.
Medicare..FYI…didn’t work…except for the first few decades. It works now from a bankrupt position…and resembles the Post Office, Fannie, Freddie, Medicaid and every wonderful program managed by the goverment. Nobody ever said we don’t want to lend a hand to fellow men and women. This bill today wasn’t that though. It is a full takeover of healthcare accomplished by corruption, dealmaking , bribery and things we normally disdain as Americans.
And…in the end, it purports to spend money in a climate crippled by overspending on wars, and certainly the home loan fiasco wherein Barney, Dodd did Clinton’s bidding to secure vote by passing out mortagaes supported by the governemnt so he could be re-elected and the Dems could retain power.
We need a policy to help the 20 million or so people who can’t provide from themselves for whatever the reason. It’s doable but Obama did this for a different reason….control for the peacock…and Americans will chaff under the control he seeks to impost. MSNBC is a disgrace and we all can agree tilts pretty left. Tonight though…they released their own poll. Fully 54% of those polled are against what you saw today…only 39% supported it. SO we’ll see how much traction this Obama/Democrat driven bill gets come election time. I hope these corrupt pols get blown out by the Americans who will continue to work for their defeat. Rant over! … Parenthetically though..NBC Universal will be bought by Comcast and it’ll be over for Keith, Rachel, etc….and that poor excuse for urinalist…lol..Chris Matthews.
CharlesBillford on March 22 at 1:05 a.m.
Health care by our government just means we are going to spend more money on a broken system that wont work.
Besides spending money like drunken sailors, what else does our government do well?
McMorris is liar. Lets get her a bicyle and a tour map of sprague and division.
ChefGus/ John Olsen on March 22 at 5:16 a.m.
the fact that is overlooked or not stated clearly around the fact that most people WERE against the bill is that those that were against the bill were not a monolith of thought.
Likely I was included in those against the bill… although I was an am for health care/insurance reform…We were all lumped togegther by the pundits as if we were on the same side..
I was against the bill, strongly… but more in the same way that Rep Kucinich was against the bill…. The telling part here is that if any single major piece of the bill is extracted and inqired about it had 60 percent for it….
so Now my niece who is 23 with brittle diabetes will be able to stay on her parents plan, and will NOT be saddled with a Pre Existing condition precludiing her from buying her own insurance when needed.
There were many in spokane that were against the Prop 4 Envision Spokane who WERE for many of the concepts and ideas included… just not the process…
THat is why opinion polls do not tell the entire truth.. only the part of the truth that the individual using them as leverage wishes to report… john
JBlim on March 22 at 6:43 a.m.
This reminds me of 1993 when every single Republican voted against President Clinton’s deficit reduction package. You know, the one that produced a surplus, and eight years of peace and prosperity. Republicans really just need to go crawl in a hole somewhere. Forget the rhetoric for a minute, if you’re not über wealthy, what good are Republicans? Seriously.
leekinny on March 22 at 6:44 a.m.
ChefGus is right. There was much anger over this bill from Progressives. We wanted more. The bill was weakened by GOP influence in the Senate. It WILL improve over time.
We Dems fight like a sack full of cats over issues that are close to our hearts. I am glad we passed it. If we didn’t there would be zero talk about liberal dissatisfaction. All the talk would be about the teaparty and the power of hateful mobs.
The Republicans threw every lie, distortion and dirty trick they had in support of the crooked insurance companies and FAILED. The American people won this one.
To other Progressives out there….
I think the next step should be lowering the age when a person can get into Medicare.
IHike4Fun on March 22 at 6:56 a.m.
Watching the performance of the congress remindes me of watching a heard of lemmings.
Albert on March 22 at 7:17 a.m.
A few years ago, I was visiting Florida and went fishing. Next to me on the boat was a dentist from Canada. He told me that he takes 6 months off from his practice and comes to Florida because of the taxes on his income. “Why work beyond 6 months, the taxes take the rest”, he said.
Stupid, dirty, insane politicians aside good friends, we will ALL pay a very heavy toll for this insane, corruption/pork infested “Health Bill”, which will only become worse as the years progress. I have no health insurance because of the cost…so how in the world will I ever afford this “benefit”?
Please keep this in mind when you see the “deductions” on our upcoming paychecks. We may all end up fishing in Florida for 6 months.
leekinny on March 22 at 7:18 a.m.
The lemmings foamed at the mouth over right wing lies from WMD’s to the present. When will they ever learn. You do know that the GOP has no respect for those they lie to.
soccermomsusie on March 22 at 7:43 a.m.
I can’t believe John Waite said what he said. No wonder that my good friend and fellow tea-partier Nancy McLaughlin trounced you so soundly in the election. That, and God liked her better.
I want to remind everyone of the real tragedy in Socialist, Fascist, Communist, DaDaist, Surrealist, harpsichordist Obama’s bill passing. Namely, Rush Limbaugh has said he will now leave the United States rather than submit to insurance that has been reformed to almost resemble that in Hawaii.
Poor Rush was obviously sedated when he said socialist Hawaii had the best health care system in the world.
Good bye sweet Limbaugh. I know there is a country out there that has a health care system with no government interference. When you find it, let us know, and like Pilgrims we will join you, even if you create your own country. Our exodus will surely empty Idaho of the nonsocialists, then watch out. God’s wrath (Yellowstone volcanoes) will begin.
Lead us Oh Rush to the Land of Freedom, where your blessed voice beckons us to a place where the oxycontin pills hang heavy on the Tree of Liberty.
My nephew, the commie, says that a CNN poll showed that most Americans were against Obama’s plan until they heard what the plan was, and then they were overwhelmingly for it.
Shut up Billy and shut up CNN!
HEAR MY VOICE! HEAR MY VOICE! HEAR MY VOICE! HEAR MY VOICE! HEAR MY VOICE! HEAR MY VOICE! HEAR MY VOICE!
soccermomsusie on March 22 at 8:08 a.m.
Albert, the specter of fishing in Florida is a scary harbinger of the future. I heard in some countries the government makes them take 6 weeks off PAID every year. Can you imagine? I wonder if that is part of the poor dentist’s nightmare too.
No wonder our productivity is the best in the USA! I would like to see Canada start a couple of wars and ship all their manufacturing to communist China and see how the fish bite then!
HEAR OUR VOICE!!!
ChefGus/ John Olsen on March 22 at 9:04 a.m.
Since when is it a “nightmare” to take six months off from work each year and spend it travelling…. obviously he makes enough to be more than comfortable.. The Canadians that stayed in Palm Springs when I wintered there some years ago for a couple years were quite happy with their lives.. and their health care.. making sure they got back to canada withiin the six month time frame so’s not to lose their coverage…
Medicare at 55 is the next goal… and believe me I know a great number of baby boomers that will sign right on i’d bet… lots of folks still won’t be able to retire without medical coverage early. j
misjustice on March 22 at 9:05 a.m.
YES! I love the smell of victory in the morning!
Face it, you teabaggers, McPalin lost the election!
And as for the racist wackadoodles over in Idaho, well good luck with your attempts at nullification…South Carolina tried that under President Jackson and it didn’t work for them either!
LMFAO!
misjustice on March 22 at 9:08 a.m.
Oh, and thanks for reminding me; GOODBYE, Rush Limpballs!
leekinny on March 22 at 9:25 a.m.
Top 10 immediate benefits….
http://www.dems.gov/blog/the-top-ten-immediate-benefits-you-ll-get-when-health-care-reform-passes
This page also has a lot of info on the heroic representative who was called the ‘n word’ and spat at.
misjustice on March 22 at 9:48 a.m.
Yes, leekinny, the brave John Lewis who stood up to the racists and got his head bashed in for attempting to walk across the bridge and go to the courthouse to register to vote.
And now, he again stood up to the racists and fearmongers in order to help create a “more perfect union.” Bless him for his courage in the 1960s and for his courage now!
Too bad that Uncle Teddy didn’t live long enough to see this day…but his son Patrick was a part of helping this historic legislation pass, in a way continuing the work that his father started so many years ago. : )
John_Waite on March 22 at 10:49 a.m.
Soccermomsuzie!,
I wish I had said something that interesting to rile you up. So are you for the 2 party system as it stands right now? Do you really believe that The republicans or Democrats have anything to offer after the last 10 years of bad government?
But regardless, Ask your close friend Nancy about me. She knows me better than most people. We are friendly, respectful political opponents.
But your right, God does like Nancy more than me. He told me so. :)
John at www.makegovwork.org
Megan_B on March 22 at 11:29 a.m.
John,
Both parties have plenty to offer, but only when they can actually work together. The gang mentality they all hold now is disgraceful. They make their minds up over issues they haven’t even researched yet because they know what their party decision will be. This is not okay. We need individual leadership, not mob groups attempting to bully other mob groups. So far the Dems show more ability to think for themselves, but could still use some work. The GOP? Don’t even get me started…
-Megan
Loudin on March 22 at 1:47 p.m.
Everybody calm down, this is all going to work out fine.
Why?
Well, back in the day, when Social Security was implemented…and later, when Medicare came into being…the only opposition to those programs was by Republicans. They hated it! Heck, they cried that America was becoming the USSR and that the costs would bankrupt America. But then decades passed and their supporters took these socialist programs to heart, feeling as though they have a God-given right to be paid a stipend when they’re old and to have everyone subsidize their healthcare. Hypocrisy? Of course…
So everyone just chill. Over the coming years, lower-middle class conservative constituents will take advantage of this new health care bill and their representatives will come to love it, just like with Social Security & Medicare. It will happen, regardless of what Rep. Boner the Smoker thinks…
eagleproducer on March 24 at 10:38 a.m.
Read foreign newspaper accounts of the passage of health care reform in the U.S. You’ll find they are laughing at us for the fuss put up for such a little amount of change to the status quo.
This bill is just another handout to the medical/insurance industry and their respective shills.
Wake me up when single payer becomes the law of the land. Until then, I’ll skip the squaring off between cultural warriors who need to break out a dictionary and check the definitions of various left leaning ideologies.