Health Reform Update 10/13/09

On Tuesday, the Finance Committee passed its long anticipated bill for health care reform. The bill passed with a vote of 14-9. Of the fourteen affirmative votes, 13 were from Democrats in the committee, and one was from Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine).

The Finance committee’s version of the bill is the least generous in terms of subsidies for working- and middle-class Americans, and it does not carry the public option that has been proposed by other committees in congress. Nevertheless, it is a massive step towards the final health care reform bill, a bill whose progress has been defined by stalemate and postponement.

The bill does require nearly everyone to have health insurance, and provides financial subsidies for those who cannot afford coverage. It also bans insurance companies the right to deny coverage to those with preexisting conditions. The bill is estimated to cost $829 billion over ten years, which will be paid for by taxes, fees, and reductions in Medicare costs.

Though the bill has passed through the Finance committee, it marks the non-bipartisan nature of the issue. With the exception of Sen. Snowe, the bill was passed with only Democratic support. Republicans stand strong in their position, clinging to the idea that a health reform bill only brings the government into the people’s health insurance.

Another version of the pending legislation, drafted by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee was approved this summer. Now that the Finance Committee has approved its version of the bill, the final draft may be ready to be debated in front of the full Senate later this month. There, support for the legislation looks good.

What is excluded from the legislation, however, is the public option that was supported heavily by some Democrats. The bill will not include a public option when presented to the full Senate.

President Obama praised the efforts of committee members, particularly Sen. Snowe for her courage in going against Republican members in the committee. He pointed out that the bill is not perfect, but it is a start in the right direction. This seems to be a common sentiment among Democrats.

The next several weeks should be telling for the final draft of the Senate health reform bill. As the bill goes to the full Senate, it will be presented to a group of 60 Democrats and 40 Republicans. Though not all Democrats are on board with the public option, 60 votes is what it would take to add this stipulation to the final bill. Regardless of whether or not the public option is added to the bill, there is strong support for the bill in the Senate, and it is very likely that the bill will be passed.

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