Black King
03-22-2010, 02:06 AM
BBC News - US House passes key healthcare reform (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8579322.stm)
US House passes key health vote
The US House of Representatives has narrowly voted to pass a landmark healthcare reform bill at the heart of President Barack Obama's agenda.
The bill was passed by 219 votes to 212, with no Republican backing, after hours of fierce argument and debate.
It extends coverage to 32 million more Americans, and marks the biggest change to the US healthcare system in decades.
"We proved that we are still a people capable of doing big things," Mr Obama said in remarks after the vote.
"This legislation will not fix everything that ails our health care system, but it moves us decisively in the right direction," he said.
Mr Obama is expected to sign the legislation into law shortly.
Historic vote
The president has pulled off the most significant victory since his election 16 months ago, the BBC's Paul Adams reports from Washington.
“ We will be joining those who established Social Security, Medicare and now, tonight, healthcare for all Americans ”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
When the vote count hit the magic number of 216 - the minimum needed to pass the bill - Democrats hugged and cheered in celebration and chanted: "Yes we can!"
Under the legislation, health insurance will be extended to nearly all Americans, new taxes imposed on the wealthy, and restrictive insurance practices such as refusing to cover people with pre-existing medical conditions will be outlawed.
The Republicans have vowed to continue resisting it.
They say the measures are unaffordable and represent a government takeover of the health industry.
"We have failed to listen to America," said Republican party leader John Boehner.
Speaking moments before the vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the health care reform honoured the nation's traditions.
ANALYSIS
Mark Mardell, BBC News, Washington While many Americans seem to genuinely yearn for the cross-party accord they call bipartisanship, and politicians at least play it pious lip service, this lengthy debate has revealed a gaping ideological chasm. President Obama identified overhauling the health care system as his priority and he's got what he wanted, a victory that eluded Teddy Roosevelt, Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton. But when he threw down the gauntlet the conservatives eagerly picked it up. Healthcare didn't create the tea party movement but it gave it a focus and a cause. Healthcare didn't create the tea party movement but it gave it a focus and a cause. There are dangers to his left as well as his right. He's harmed his reputation with his own power base, for many liberals feel there have been so many compromises the bill is hardly worth it.
"We will be joining those who established Social Security, Medicare and now, tonight, healthcare for all Americans," she said, referring to the government's pension program and health insurance for the elderly established nearly 50 years ago.
Although Democrats pushed the measure through with three votes to spare, 34 members joined Republicans in voting against the bill, worried about paying a political price in the November mid-term elections.
In a last-minute move designed to win the support of a bloc of anti-abortion lawmakers, Mr Obama earlier on Sunday announced plans to issue an executive order assuring that healthcare reform will not change the restrictions barring federal money for abortion.
Next steps
A second smaller measure - a package of reconciliation "fixes" making changes in the first - cleared the House shortly before midnight.
It was sent to the Senate, where Democratic leaders said they had the votes necessary to pass it quickly.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, the final version of the Democrats' healthcare plan will cut the federal deficit by $138bn (£92bn) over 10 years.
The non-partisan body said the proposed legislation would cost about $940bn (£626bn) over a decade.
The reforms will increase insurance coverage through tax credits for the middle class and expansion of the Medicaid programme for the poor.
They represent the biggest change in the US healthcare system since the creation in the 1960s of Medicare, the government-run scheme for Americans aged 65 or over.
what this plan actually means
* It makes insurance more affordable by providing the largest middle class tax cut for health care in history, reducing premium costs for tens of millions of families and small business owners who are priced out of coverage today. This helps 32 million Americans afford health care who do not get it today – and makes coverage more affordable for many more. Under the plan, 95% of Americans will be insured.
* It sets up a new competitive health insurance market giving millions of Americans the same choices of insurance that members of Congress will have.
* It brings greater accountability to health care by laying out commonsense rules of the road to keep premiums down and prevent insurance industry abuses and denial of care.
* It will end discrimination against Americans with pre-existing conditions.
* It puts our budget and economy on a more stable path by reducing the deficit by more than $100 billion over the next ten years – and more than $1 trillion over the second decade – by cutting government overspending and reining in waste, fraud and abuse.
No there are not any "Death Panels"
US House passes key health vote
The US House of Representatives has narrowly voted to pass a landmark healthcare reform bill at the heart of President Barack Obama's agenda.
The bill was passed by 219 votes to 212, with no Republican backing, after hours of fierce argument and debate.
It extends coverage to 32 million more Americans, and marks the biggest change to the US healthcare system in decades.
"We proved that we are still a people capable of doing big things," Mr Obama said in remarks after the vote.
"This legislation will not fix everything that ails our health care system, but it moves us decisively in the right direction," he said.
Mr Obama is expected to sign the legislation into law shortly.
Historic vote
The president has pulled off the most significant victory since his election 16 months ago, the BBC's Paul Adams reports from Washington.
“ We will be joining those who established Social Security, Medicare and now, tonight, healthcare for all Americans ”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
When the vote count hit the magic number of 216 - the minimum needed to pass the bill - Democrats hugged and cheered in celebration and chanted: "Yes we can!"
Under the legislation, health insurance will be extended to nearly all Americans, new taxes imposed on the wealthy, and restrictive insurance practices such as refusing to cover people with pre-existing medical conditions will be outlawed.
The Republicans have vowed to continue resisting it.
They say the measures are unaffordable and represent a government takeover of the health industry.
"We have failed to listen to America," said Republican party leader John Boehner.
Speaking moments before the vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the health care reform honoured the nation's traditions.
ANALYSIS
Mark Mardell, BBC News, Washington While many Americans seem to genuinely yearn for the cross-party accord they call bipartisanship, and politicians at least play it pious lip service, this lengthy debate has revealed a gaping ideological chasm. President Obama identified overhauling the health care system as his priority and he's got what he wanted, a victory that eluded Teddy Roosevelt, Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton. But when he threw down the gauntlet the conservatives eagerly picked it up. Healthcare didn't create the tea party movement but it gave it a focus and a cause. Healthcare didn't create the tea party movement but it gave it a focus and a cause. There are dangers to his left as well as his right. He's harmed his reputation with his own power base, for many liberals feel there have been so many compromises the bill is hardly worth it.
"We will be joining those who established Social Security, Medicare and now, tonight, healthcare for all Americans," she said, referring to the government's pension program and health insurance for the elderly established nearly 50 years ago.
Although Democrats pushed the measure through with three votes to spare, 34 members joined Republicans in voting against the bill, worried about paying a political price in the November mid-term elections.
In a last-minute move designed to win the support of a bloc of anti-abortion lawmakers, Mr Obama earlier on Sunday announced plans to issue an executive order assuring that healthcare reform will not change the restrictions barring federal money for abortion.
Next steps
A second smaller measure - a package of reconciliation "fixes" making changes in the first - cleared the House shortly before midnight.
It was sent to the Senate, where Democratic leaders said they had the votes necessary to pass it quickly.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, the final version of the Democrats' healthcare plan will cut the federal deficit by $138bn (£92bn) over 10 years.
The non-partisan body said the proposed legislation would cost about $940bn (£626bn) over a decade.
The reforms will increase insurance coverage through tax credits for the middle class and expansion of the Medicaid programme for the poor.
They represent the biggest change in the US healthcare system since the creation in the 1960s of Medicare, the government-run scheme for Americans aged 65 or over.
what this plan actually means
* It makes insurance more affordable by providing the largest middle class tax cut for health care in history, reducing premium costs for tens of millions of families and small business owners who are priced out of coverage today. This helps 32 million Americans afford health care who do not get it today – and makes coverage more affordable for many more. Under the plan, 95% of Americans will be insured.
* It sets up a new competitive health insurance market giving millions of Americans the same choices of insurance that members of Congress will have.
* It brings greater accountability to health care by laying out commonsense rules of the road to keep premiums down and prevent insurance industry abuses and denial of care.
* It will end discrimination against Americans with pre-existing conditions.
* It puts our budget and economy on a more stable path by reducing the deficit by more than $100 billion over the next ten years – and more than $1 trillion over the second decade – by cutting government overspending and reining in waste, fraud and abuse.
No there are not any "Death Panels"