Senate committee passes health care reform bill

Senate committee passes health care reform bill

The Senate Finance Committee approved its version of health care reform by a 14-9 vote Tuesday, clearing the way for it to be merged with another committees bill for a vote by the full Senate.

Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, was the only Republican to vote for the legislation. She did so with reservations, however, and said Democrats shouldnt count on her vote if the bill is changed significantly before it comes to the floor.

My vote today is my vote today, Snowe said. It doesnt forecast what my vote will be tomorrow.

The legislation aims to provide health insurance to more Americans by expanding Medicaid, providing tax credits to help low- and middle-income people buy coverage, and creating health insurance exchanges for individuals and small businesses. It also would require employers that dont offer coverage to help pay for employees government-subsidized coverage.

The bill also includes insurance market reforms. Individuals could not be charged more or denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions. Insurers no longer could drop coverage when individuals get sick.

The legislation is projected to cost $829 billion during 10 years, but the Congressional Budget Office projects that it would reduce the federal deficit by $81 billion because it curbs the growth of spending on federal health care programs and raises revenue through new taxes on health insurers, pharmaceutical companies and medical device companies.

Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., said the legislation is a balanced plan that can pass the Senate.

We dont have quite the degree of bipartisan support that I would hope for, he said, but added that he appreciated the effort committee members put into the bill.

Tuesdays vote followed two years of work on the bill, including 20 hearings on health care, and closed-door meetings among six members who tried to fashion a bipartisan compromise.

Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., said the bill is the wrong kind of reform because it will raise the cost of insurance for many Americans.

The Finance bill spends too much and does too little to bring down health care costs, Enzi said.

Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., said he also has some problems with the legislation, primarily its lack of a government-run option in the health insurance exchanges. That is needed, he said, to provide competition to private insurers.

But Rockefeller voted for the bill despite these reservations because the dialogue is now for real.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said the committees bill was the best of any of the bills passed by the five congressional committees that have addressed the issue. But it contends that more needs to be done to address the bills negative effects on businesses.

The bill increases premiums, raises taxes and creates a new entitlement that will add to the nations growing debt, said Bruce Josten, the chambers top lobbyist.

Health insurance companies are concerned about the bills workability and cost, said Karen Ignagni, CEO of Americas Health Insurance Plans.

The bill imposes hundreds of billions of dollars in new health care taxes and provides an incentive for people to wait until they are sick to purchase coverage, Ignagni said.

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[MotionFrequency]

People get what they voted for. They voted for someone who thought he visited 57 states and had a couple more to go, but then they have the audacity to say Palin is dumb. LOL. Good luck with you big government, no freedom, tax everyone theories that don't help anyone. Hope that works out for you in America, land of the free and home of the brave.

[avrilsdream]

11 months of continued ignorance and destruction. Only 37 to go! I've never experienced such shit. Everyone will suffer now.

[FigthForFreedom]

yay a 13trillion dollar debt.

any body want to place a bet what the next one will be. take note in 1 year mr.osama

has cost the ameircan people 2trillon dollars. i will say this is a WORLD record.

i say the next bailout from him will cost us another trillion dollars.

i belive whayever you like the bill or not,the people suddenly forgot that the debt clock exsits.and the more it goes up so does are taxes.

[dirtyshortsPU]

What would you expect from a Socialist whose resume' only lists community organizer and affirmative action recipient. He truly is a stupid man.

[mellowtribe]

The american people who voted for these clowns are very stupid people.

[mellowtribe]

Too late it passed and we will never be able to undo it ever. You taxes will go up, you employers taxes will go up. People are going to lose jobs but hey they will have "healthcare" LOLOLOLOLOLOLO

[nirvanachik2]

yes he is fucking up but wat you still dont understand is that its just not him.. his advisors and CONGRESS! everything has to go to congress.. and thats who is fucking us over.. yeah yeah.. so obamas methods arent so good and were more in depth but its not just him... ITS CONGRESS! so dont just blame one man.. blame all of them!

[Dancerella2007]

Really have you seen the shit he is doin....fuck him!!! He sure as hell doesnt have any of my support!

If any here believes in Christianity....5 bucks says he is the anti-christ!!

[nirvanachik2]

I AGREE TO SOME DEGREE.. BUT THE PROBLEM THAT IS PUZZLING TO ME IS THAT now health insurance dont cover much and they charge you too much.. we're no being told we have to have it!.. its great to have health insurance but doesnt always cover much just like Medicaid! so either ways were getting help and getting fucked over.. fuck obama i dont think so fuck his advisors! one man doesnt just fuck up on his own!..

[nirvanachik2]

get him out.. but no shooting!