Health Care: Follow the Bouncing Ball
Progressives scored a key victory in the battle for health care reform last night with the announcement by leader Harry Reid that the Democratic caucus had reached agreement on the legislation's critical principles. With the Congressional Budget Office ringing up the potential costs, the verdict surprised more than a few naysayers on Capitol Hill. At $849 billion, the proposed bill would be less expensive than a similar measure passed by the House of Representatives earlier in the month; it would save $127 billion over the next ten years and reduce the deficit by $170 billion.
Among concessions to opponents, the new law would allow states to opt out of the system and would weaken the proposed non-profit health plan known as the public option. The whole affair would not be implemented until 2014, giving insurance companies plenty of time to use their influence and largess to further strip the legislation of its progressive elements and consumer protections.
Many have feared from the start of the debate that humane health care in the United States, which has the world's largest economy by far, could end up like the failed health package put forth by the Clinton administration -- a victim of cost-based excuses. Denying American citizens what is considered a fundamental right in other less wealthy nations has always seemed patently unjust. With the proposal announced by Senator Reid last night, 94% of American citizens would be covered, the nefarious practice of denying coverage for pre-existing conditions would be ended and a public, non-profit system -- however weakened -- would be set up to compete with private insurance. In other words, it would be a start.
There are many details still to be considered -- such as whether the Democrats will have enough votes to prevent a filibuster. The tale will be told on Saturday when the vote to cut off a filibuster and bring the legislation to the Senate floor for debate will begin. With Harry Reid promising to keep legislators in session through Thanksgiving if need be, some Senate holdouts may soften. After a generation of attempts at reform, will the nation finally have health care it can be truly thankful for?
Progressives scored a key victory in the battle for health care reform last night with the announcement by leader Harry Reid that the Democratic caucus had reached agreement on the legislation's critical principles. With the Congressional Budget Office ringing up the potential costs, the verdict surprised more than a few naysayers on Capitol Hill. At $849 billion, the proposed bill would be less expensive than a similar measure passed by the House of Representatives earlier in the month; it would save $127 billion over the next ten years and reduce the deficit by $170 billion.
Among concessions to opponents, the new law would allow states to opt out of the system and would weaken the proposed non-profit health plan known as the public option. The whole affair would not be implemented until 2014, giving insurance companies plenty of time to use their influence and largess to further strip the legislation of its progressive elements and consumer protections.
Many have feared from the start of the debate that humane health care in the United States, which has the world's largest economy by far, could end up like the failed health package put forth by the Clinton administration -- a victim of cost-based excuses. Denying American citizens what is considered a fundamental right in other less wealthy nations has always seemed patently unjust. With the proposal announced by Senator Reid last night, 94% of American citizens would be covered, the nefarious practice of denying coverage for pre-existing conditions would be ended and a public, non-profit system -- however weakened -- would be set up to compete with private insurance. In other words, it would be a start.
There are many details still to be considered -- such as whether the Democrats will have enough votes to prevent a filibuster. The tale will be told on Saturday when the vote to cut off a filibuster and bring the legislation to the Senate floor for debate will begin. With Harry Reid promising to keep legislators in session through Thanksgiving if need be, some Senate holdouts may soften. After a generation of attempts at reform, will the nation finally have health care it can be truly thankful for?
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