House Passes Landmark Health Care Bill

Despite GOP Opposition, House Votes 220-215 to Expand Health Coverage for Americans, Place New Restrictions on Insurers

(AP)  In a victory for President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives narrowly passed landmark health care legislation to expand coverage to tens of millions who lack it and place tough new restrictions on the insurance industry. Republican opposition was nearly unanimous.

The 220-215 vote late Saturday night cleared the way for the Senate to begin debate on the issue that has come to overshadow all others in Congress. But it will be tougher to get Senate approval because Democrats will need 60 out of 100 votes to end debate and bring legislation to a final vote, and several moderate Democratic senators still have reservations.

CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care Reform

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi likened the legislation to the passage of the government's Social Security pension program in 1935 and Medicare health insurance for the elderly 30 years later.

"It provides coverage for 96 percent of Americans. It offers everyone, regardless of health or income, the peace of mind that comes from knowing they will have access to affordable health care when they need it," said Rep. John Dingell, an 83-year-old Democratic lawmaker who has introduced national health insurance in every Congress since succeeding his father in 1955.

In the run-up to a final vote, conservatives from the two political parties joined forces to impose tough new restrictions on abortion coverage in insurance policies to be sold to many individuals and small groups. They prevailed on a roll call of 240-194.

Ironically, that only solidified support for the legislation, clearing the way for conservative Democrats to vote for it.

More Coverage of Health Care Reform:
Key Provisions of the House Health Care Bill"
Obama: "This Is Our Moment to Deliver"
Obama Calls Holdouts on Health Care

The legislation would require most Americans to carry insurance and provide federal subsidies to those who otherwise could not afford it. Large companies would have to offer coverage to their employees. Both consumers and companies would be slapped with penalties if they defied the government's mandates.

Insurance industry practices such as denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions would be banned, and insurers would no longer be able to charge higher premiums on the basis of gender or medical history. In a further slap, the industry would lose its exemption from federal antitrust restrictions on price gouging, bid rigging and market allocation.

A cheer went up from the Democratic side of the House when the bill gained 218 votes, a majority. Moments later, Democrats counted down the final seconds of the voting period in unison, and let loose an even louder roar when Pelosi grabbed the gavel and declared, "the bill is passed."

From the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid issued a statement saying, "We realize the strong will for reform that exists, and we are energized that we stand closer than ever to reforming our broken health insurance system."

If the Senate does pass a bill, it would have to be reconciled with the House version by a panel of lawmakers from both chambers before the legislation is put up for final approval.

The House bill drew the votes of 219 Democrats and Rep. Joseph Cao, a first-term Republican who holds an overwhelmingly Democratic seat in New Orleans. Opposed were 176 Republicans and 39 Democrats.

Nearly unanimous in their opposition, minority Republicans cataloged their objections across hours of debate on the 1,990-page, $1.2 trillion legislation.

[tdgiffis]

Samuel Adams put it well,

"Shame on the men who can court exemption from present trouble and expense at the price of their own posterity's liberty!"

Some would give up their freedom for a promise of security. In the end they will be neither free nor secure. If we continue down this road of yielding our liberty for empty promises we will not only have sacrificed our freedom we will leave our beloved posterity a financially bankrupt country with no hope and no future.

The Federal Government must be forced to return to its constitutional boundries. We cannot hope that the Oligarchy in Washington will self correct. We the people must reign them in.

Jefferson said,

"Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves, therefore, are its only safe depositories"

If our freedom is lost we only have ourselves to blame. I for one do not want to look my grandchildren in the eyes and tell them how we used to be free. Freedom is a rare commodity in human history. It is worth fighting for. It is worth dying for.

Let us stand together and fight like our Fathers before us so we can pass to our posterity the most precious gift of all. Freedom!

[noloyalisti]

This health plan is a joke. Let's just forget the whole thing and just have Medicare for all. Get rid of ALL profit in health care. Those workers can go to another industry to rape and pillage the American people like the big banks or oil corporations.

[Empire-George]

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them". - Thomas Jefferson

[John_272]

US Senator for California Diane Feinstein was forwarded numerous reports of a tax credit apartment properties' non-compliance with HUD regulations and failure of the Tax Credit Allocation Committee to enforce compliance with federal HUD regulations. Instead of starting a federal investigation of the misuse and abuse of federal funds , Feinstein instead Oct 23 referred the matter to Governor Swarzenegger's office saying: "I am sorry to hear of your difficulties with the Tax Credit Allocation Committee. Unfortunately many issues within the State of California are beyond my jurisdiction as a United States Senator." I ask the Senator: since when is noncompliance by apartments owners with federal HUD regulations beyond your jurisdiction? There is no federal agency set up to take individual complaints of tax credit apartment owners' non-compliance; should the Senator care about that? The Senator can be reached at 310-914-7300. What is the Governor of California and Senator Feinstein and Congress doing about state tax credit apartment owners who do not treat applicants per HUD regulations? What is the Governor doing about tax credit apartment owners who discriminate against Black applicants? The Governor can be reached at 916-445-2841. Visit http://hudincomeexclusions.wordpress.com and http://www.not-hud-compliant.spaces.live.com.

[noloyalisti]

I say that ALL those Reps that voted against this must immediately give up their government health benefits for them and their families.

[noloyalisti]

This bill is a huge compromise to the rich, greedy big corporations that own and run our government. This is not nearly what the people need.

[jckbrn-2009]

1) I'm not a "joiner" or a party loyalist - - this is not a partisan issue and is serious enough that anyone not having read the bill is stupid & ignorant
2) I'll sign on for any legislation that requires our elected elite to participate equally & unequivocally with taxpayers.
3) Government is the problem - not the solution - - bigger, more is not better ! !
There is no free ride and there never has been - - - I do, and always have, taken care of me and mine - - tough times and all - - never received gov't benefits for anything in all my 72 years - -
4) I can find absolutely no gov't program that is productive, proficient, profitable (or even solvent) - - passing legislation is easy - making it work is never successful.
5) "Reform" is not takeover - clean up the fraud/waste/ineptitude in existing programs (Medicare) and there'll be enough money to fund giveaways for the actual needy - - the biggest crooks are gov't leaches with seperate benefits from those they provide to taxpayer citizens. (Your side is not better than my side - really there is no side) We're all in this together and the debt is for everybody to pay -
and that isfar too great already - -
6) Stop spending money we don't have - -

Stand on your own 2 feet and stop depending on someone else to provide for you -
DEBT IS SLAVERY ! ! !

[noloyalisti]

Stop giving welfare to the rich and big corporations. Stop depending on big corporations to do everything for you. They are the problem, not the solution. Stand on your own two feet and stop whining.

[billards53]

A lot of people thought that HMO's were a mistake because gave too much power to the insurance industry . The insurance industry is a major contributor to political candidates in the USA which leaves me wondering if this a bad thing about to become worse . Will the federal government become so all powerful that the people get lost in the wash . We need health care but what is the cost to the individual . We could pay for our own before downsizing and outsourcing eliminated private and company paid plans . Lets attack the real problem = runaway corporate greed , " free trade " with countries who don't beleive in free trade,deficits and budget deficits . Our mioney is overseas which why we can't pay for basics . The high cost of medical care also is part of the problem

[spillover]

When are people going to get it through their heads this is'nt health care reform it's a power grab to get more money and control over your life.If this passes it will be a disaster.

[repub2012]

$1250 per month premium for family coverage? A family that can paster the muster of underwriting for a private individual plan can get a family rate of $350-$750 dollars a month. A family in an employer sponsored group plan can get pretty close to the same premium. And as it stands today, if you don't have access to a group plan through your employer and you cannot qualify for individual plan, then EVERY state has a high risk pool or HIPAA plans, that cost lest than $1250 per month!! How is this more affordable It is nothing but taxation on the middle class and the rich. Poorer indiviudals/families will get subsidies to pay. Where do you think those subsidies come from? From the taxes (i.e. higher premiums) the plan would charge to the middle class and the rich. Nothing more than a redistribution of wealth!! =socialism=communism!

[koehler405]

Only 34 states have high risk pools and some states have closed them. Also check out how much they will pay out in a given year. The cost for a family of 4 would be more than $1,250 per month for a $1,000 deductible in Texas. Check this site out for cost to see for yourself.
http://www.txhealthpool.org/080109standardratetable.pdf

I'm going to move to another state so I can get Insurance in a high risk pool but it will not be Louisiana because they only pay out $125,000 per year.

[repub2012]

The House bill certainly does not lower cost! See the following stuff from inside the bill.
http://mobile2.wsj.com/device/article.php?mid=3&CALL_URL=http://www.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704795604574519671055918380.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_opinion

Read this...you should be scared.!! The estimated premium of the pelosi plan for an individual earning 44k per year would be $5,000 per year! What a deal!! A family earning over $102,000 per year would pay $15,000 per year in premium!! But of course those who are much poorer would be eligible for a subsidy to help pay for the premium. If this is not a mssive re-distribution of wealth, I don't what is?

Lastly, to emphasize what death blow this for businesses in general. Employer would be required to pay 72.5 percent of the employee cost, which many employers, especially small employers could not afford. If the employer does not provide coverage they would pay an 8 percent tax of their payroll! Read the rest of this article. Very scary.