Digging in for a long struggle, Republican senators and governors assailed the Democrats' newly minted health care legislation Thursday as a collection of tax increases, Medicare cuts and heavy new burdens for deficit-ridden states.
Despite the criticism, there were growing indications Democrats would prevail on an initial Senate showdown set for Saturday night, and Majority Leader Harry Reid crisply rebutted the Republican charges. The bill "will save lives, save money and save Medicare," he said.
The legislation is designed to answer President Barack Obama's call to expand coverage, end industry practices such as denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions, and restrain the growth of health care spending.
Republicans saw little to like.
SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Comparing the House and the Senate Health Care Proposals
Senate Democrats unveiled sweeping legislation Wednesday to overhaul the nation’s health care system. Earlier this month the House passed its own version. The proposals are broadly similar but differ on some major issues, such as on a new government insurance plan, abortion and immigration.
Many provisions of the Senate bill, including the mandate for individuals to obtain insurance and the creation of insurance markets, would take effect in 2014, a year later than similar provisions of the House bill. A look at how the proposals compare on some key issues.
[See interactive comparison chart]
SOURCE: New York Times
Many provisions of the Senate bill, including the mandate for individuals to obtain insurance and the creation of insurance markets, would take effect in 2014, a year later than similar provisions of the House bill. A look at how the proposals compare on some key issues.
[See interactive comparison chart]
SOURCE: New York Times
Senate Health Care Debate Beginning its Final Phase
The battle to pass health care legislation has entered one of its final and most difficult phases.
Late Wednesday evening, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., unveiled the 2,074-page bill that will be debated in the Senate -- one of the biggest and most expensive bills to ever come to Congress. The health care bill, put together solely by Democrats, will cost $849 billion over 10 years and cover 31 million Americans who are currently uninsured.
The plan would cut the federal deficit by $127 billion in its first decade, more than any other bill, according to the CBO. It would cut the budget deficit by as much as $650 billion in the second decade.
Read the full CBO report.
SOURCE: ABC News
Late Wednesday evening, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., unveiled the 2,074-page bill that will be debated in the Senate -- one of the biggest and most expensive bills to ever come to Congress. The health care bill, put together solely by Democrats, will cost $849 billion over 10 years and cover 31 million Americans who are currently uninsured.
The plan would cut the federal deficit by $127 billion in its first decade, more than any other bill, according to the CBO. It would cut the budget deficit by as much as $650 billion in the second decade.
Read the full CBO report.
SOURCE: ABC News
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Democratic leaders in the Senate on Wednesday unveiled their [2,074 page] proposal for overhauling the health care system, outlining legislation that they said would cover most of the uninsured while reducing the federal budget deficit.
Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, said at an evening news conference that the legislation, embodying President Obama’s signature domestic initiative, would impose new regulations on insurers, extend coverage to 31 million people who currently do not have any and add new benefits to Medicare.
H.R. 3590, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act:
Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, said at an evening news conference that the legislation, embodying President Obama’s signature domestic initiative, would impose new regulations on insurers, extend coverage to 31 million people who currently do not have any and add new benefits to Medicare.
H.R. 3590, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act:
- extends coverage to "31 million people who currently do not have any" insurance
- adds new benefits to Medicare
- will cost $849 billion over 10 years (an educated guess at this point, which does not include "the Doctor Fix")*
- reduces the projected budget deficits by $127 billion over a decade because the costs would be offset by new taxes and reductions in government spending, particularly on Medicare
- includes a government-run insurance plan, or public option
- includes state opt-out
- imposes new regulations on insurers
- increases the Medicare payroll tax on high-income people**
- imposes a new excise tax on high-cost "Cadillac" health plans offered by employers to their employees
- does not go as far as the House-passed bill in limiting insurance coverage for abortions: "...the bill seeks to extend current law by barring the use of federal money for abortions. But it would also require that at least one insurance plan that covers abortion and one that does not cover abortion be offered in every state."
- requires people to obtain health insurance, and imposes a complicated set of penalties for people who fail to meet the requirement.
**High income means couples earning more than $250K or individuals earning more than $200K.
SOURCE: New York Times
SOURCE: New York Times
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