Senate Race Sinks Health Care Reform
Health Care Reform was a foregone conclusion; then the unthinkable happened. A Republican won the Massachusetts Senate seat Ted Kennedy had held since 1962 and, at the same time, dealt a death blow to the Democrats’ Health Care Reform plans.
More than a week later Democrats are still scrambling, trying salvage something from the wreckage of more than a year of ugly political wrangling that got us to the brink of health care reform. Barack Obama himself has advised everyone on Capitol Hill to take a step back, reassess the situation and see what, if anything, can still be passed.
While Congress and America remain deeply divided on a number of health care reform issues, there is common ground to be found. Some provisions of the bill which have received bi-partisan support include:
- Prohibiting insurance companies from denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions
- Prohibiting insurance companies from refusing to pay claims after their enrollees become sick
- Providing subsidies to help families afford premiums
Democrats would like to rally around these aspects of the bill and still get something passed. Some Republicans, on the other hand, would like to start the entire process over and negotiate a truly bi-partisan bill.
Now, there is the possibility that Democrats could use a procedural maneuver called Budget Reconciliation that would allow them to advance the bill with just a simple majority vote. But such a measure carries numerous risks, including the possibility of a political backlash against what Republicans would be sure to cast as parliamentary trickery.
This is a legitimate concern in a mid-term election year that has seen Obama's approval ratings decrease and the Democrats lose a Senate race in liberal Massachusetts. Forcing through an unpopular bill could have dire consequences come November.
Comments
- toby fowler
I like the idea for tort reform limits on the rediculous lawsuit awards,it is basically legal robbery from all working people that are paying for healthcare,also competition across state lines is a great idea to lower cost.For example here in south Al. blue cross has all city, county, state, businesses, and individuals there is no one else to buy from. They basically have a monopoly and that is the way it has always been in the under 65 market in the 25 yrs. that i have been in the healthcare field.
- January 30, 2010, 2:44 PM
- Peter Bigelow
Very sage article. Spot on. The election of Scott Brown in liberal Massachusetts could be cast as a political miracle favorably affecting all Americans.
It seems to me that the Democrats still don't really know what hit them with the "Scott heard round the world".
Senator Elect Brown brings a new,fresh independent spirit to politically divided and polarized Washington. He will in my opinion play a pivotal role in bringing sorely needed truly bipartisan healthcare reform. Throughout this nearly endless debate, I have always said that in order for healthcare reform to be truly cost effective, long lasting and widely accepted it simply has to be done in bipartisan/nonpartisan fashion. We now have a chance to get it done right. Let's get on with it.
- January 30, 2010, 2:52 PM
