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Healthcare Reform Moves Ahead
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WASHINGTON D.C — The Senate Finance Committee is set to send its version of health care reform to the floor Tuesday, the only version offered that meets President Barack Obama's conditions for significantly expanding insurance coverage without raising the federal deficit, the legislation if passed would also slow the rise in medical costs.
The White House and congressional leaders must still rewrite portions of the bill by Christmas if they hope to obtain passage in congress. "We are much closer than we have been to accomplishing the elusive goal of reforming health care" than ever before Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., told reporters on Thursday during a break in the marathon leadership meetings taking place on the issue. "I am encouraged at how far we have come, and I think we're going to make it," he reported.
Because of Republican opposition to healthcare reform, democrats face numerous hurdles before a final bill reaches the Presidents desk. The most difficult task ahead according to democratic leadership involves permitting the government to sell insurance in competition with private industry, a move favored by the progressive wing of the party but opposed by most moderates.
To date House members have failed to offer any legislation that would satisfy the Presidents objective of reforming healthcare without raising the Nations debt. Despite the slow pace in the house, Democrats have decided to take the offensive after a summer spent wilting in the face of unrelenting conservative attacks.
Waxman's comments echo the general sense of momentum democrats gained after a Wednesday letter from the Congressional Budget Office offered a positive review of the finance bill. Senate finance chair Max Baucus, (D-Mont) Primary architect of the measure, praised the C.B.O budget confirmation. "This legislation, I believe, is a smart investment on our federal balance sheet. It's an even smarter investment for American families, businesses and our economy," he said on the Senate floor.
The C.B.O reported the bill would "result in a net reduction in federal budget deficits of $81 billion over the 2010-2019 period," President Obama has warned he would not sign any legislation that added so much as a dime to the National deficit.
The Finance Committee meets both criteria, according to the CBO, which is the widely recognized as the arbiter of the budgetary claims routinely issued by lawmakers. Obama also said the legislation he wants would "provide more security and stability to those who have health insurance. It will provide insurance to those who don't. And it will slow the growth of health care costs for our families, our businesses and our government."
According to the CBO, the number of uninsured Americans would fall by some 29 million if the bill were passed, about 25 million would remain without insurance. The legislation would also offer consumer protections Obama requested during his address to a joint session of congress. Insurers would no longer be permitted to deny coverage on the basis of pre-existing conditions, and the federal government would limit the increase in premiums charged on the basis of age or family size.
Reining in the cost of future medical care "is part of what we must do," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Thursday, but other Democrats expressed skepticism the bill headed for a vote will fully meet Obama's objectives.
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