Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Hours after President Obama exhorted Democratic lawmakers to "answer the call of history," the House hit an unprecedented milestone on the path to health-care reform, approving the Affordable Health Care for America Act late Saturday night that seeks to overhaul private insurance practices and guarantee comprehensive and affordable coverage to almost every American.
Democrats have sought for decades to provide universal health care, but not since the 1965 passage of Medicare and Medicaid has a chamber of Congress approved such a vast expansion of coverage.
After months of acrimonious partisanship, Democrats closed ranks on a 220-215 vote that included 39 defections, mostly from the party's conservative Blue Dog ranks. But the bill attracted a surprise Republican convert: Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao of Louisiana, who represents the Democratic-leaning district of New Orleans and had been the target of a last-minute White House lobbying campaign. GOP House leaders had predicted their members would unanimously oppose the bill. House Democrats promise health-care victory as Republicans remain opposed to bill
Cao's reason for being the lone GOP vote? "I have always said that I would put aside partisan wrangling to do the business of the people. My vote tonight was based on my priority of doing what is best for my constituents," he said in a statement quickly released by his office. Rep. Joseph Cao, the Sole Republican to Support Pelosi Health Bill It's unclear whether Republican leaders will discipline Cao for breaking ranks and allowing Democrats to claim the bill had "bipartisan support."
Passage of the bill came at a cost. A group of 40 anti-abortion conservative Democrats succeeded in holding up passage of the bill before the only amendment to the house bill, the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, could be voted upon. Party leaders broke a weeks-long impasse over abortion by agreeing to hold a vote on the amendment — offered by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI), and Joe Pitts (R-PA), members of the infamous C-Street "The Family" – that would explicitly bar the public plan from`covering the procedure. The amendment was approved on a vote of 240 to 194, with 64 Democrats in favor, and Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) voting "present." (Final roll call for the Stupak=Pitts Amendment with the yeas and nays here.) The Stupak-Pitts Amendment also would prohibit people who received insurance subsidies from purchasing private plans that covered abortion. House Democrats promise health-care victory as Republicans remain opposed to bill
The purpose and intent of this amendment is to extend the Hyde Amendment, barring the use of federal funds to pay for abortions since 1976, to private insurance plans that offer coverage for abortion procedures, that also receive federal subsidies for the purchase of insurance plans under this bill. The practical effect will be that even private insurers will no longer offer coverage for abortion procedures in insurance plans in order to participate in the federal subsidies.
The deal cleared the way for dozens of anti-abortion Democrats to back the package. The anti-abortion conservative Democrats are not all the same 39 Democrats who voted against the final bill. Here's the roll call for the final bill. Here is the list of 23 Democrats who voted "Aye" on Stupak but "Nay" on the final bill:
Altmire, Barrow, Boccieri, Boren, Bright, Chandler, Childers, Davis (AL), Davis (TN), Gordon (TN), Griffith, Holden, Marshall, Matheson, McIntyre, Melancon, Peterson, Ross, Shuler, Skelton, Tanner, Taylor, Teague. Daily Kos
Conservative Democrats should understand that voting against the singular issue of the Democratic Party platform since Harry Truman proposed national health care, Truman Library – November 19, 1945: Truman Proposes Health Program, makes them more vulnerable to defeat, not less. As President Obama warned these Blue Dogs before the vote, "If you think the Republicans are not going to go after you if you vote no," the president said, according to several people present, "think again." These Democrats now invite a primary challenger from their Democratic base.
After the vote, President Obama issued this statement President Obama's response to House bill passage:
Statement of President Barack Obama on House Passage of the Affordable Health Care for America ActTonight, in an historic vote, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would finally make real the promise of quality, affordable health care for the American people.
The Affordable Health Care for America Act is a piece of legislation that will provide stability and security for Americans who have insurance; quality affordable options for those who don’t; and bring down the cost of health care for families, businesses, and the government while strengthening the financial health of Medicare. And it is legislation that is fully paid for and will reduce our long-term federal deficit.
Thanks to the hard work of the House, we are just two steps away from achieving health insurance reform in America. Now the United States Senate must follow suit and pass its version of the legislation. I am absolutely confident it will, and I look forward to signing comprehensive health insurance reform into law by the end of the year.
The action now moves to the Senate where its version of the bill will be debated. The House vote is but one step in the long march towards health care reform.
NB: Revised and updated.
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At $894 billion, the bill’s 10 year cost comes in a hair under President Obama’s $900 billion red line. But, more politically and substantively important, the bill is projected to reduce the deficit in both the first 10 years and the second 10 years after enactment. http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/cbo-says-house-health-care-bill-is-a-deficit-reducer-in-the-near-and-long-term.php
Even so, the public option in this bill will result in a dramatic increase in the number of insured under private health insurance plans which are failing Americans now and have an extraordinarily high administrative overhead/profit margin built into them, unlike Medicare. (At one time health insurance companies were non-profits, something Congress should consider mandating in this bill). It rewards the current failed health insurance system and does not do enough to contain costs or to prevent insurance company abuses. But it is a first step.
If Congress really wanted to save money it would cut out the middle-man who’s only interest is taking his cut or “vigorish” – a percentage (of winnings or loot or profit) taken by an operator or gangster. And that would mean a single payer “Medicare for All” government run health insurance plan.
Is the public option cost effective or not cost effective?
I can’t say that I disagree, Jack. In a perfect world, the legislation would have been Medicare for all, a single payer plan. Simple, direct, and cost effective.
After watching Single Payer Now and DFA work their butts off these past six months for a single payer plan, I agree with Kucinich’s nay vote. I’m stunned at the cheers for mediocrity. Let’s continue wasting billions of dollars! Hurray for the strategic, courageous compromise set forth by the party elite on behalf of the insurance industry! No substantive acts to change reality here. Late Saturday night, Congress passes H.R. 3962. The next day, Single Payer Now celebrates with a band jam fundraiser for those strapped with medical bills. Spare change.
http://blip.tv/file/2825033