The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, late Saturday night 220-215. One Republican, Joseph Cao of Louisiana, joined 219 Democrats in voting for final passage of the bill. From the Washington Post:
Democrats have sought for decades to provide universal health care, but not since the 1965 passage of Medicare and Medicaid has a chamber of Congress approved such a vast expansion of coverage. Action now shifts to the Senate, which could spend the rest of the year debating its version of the health-care overhaul. Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) hopes to bring a measure to the floor before Thanksgiving, but legislation may not reach Obama’s desk before the new year. Read more.
For additional resources on health care reform, visit the Abundant Life health care page.
Hopefully the Mennonite Church has the courage to oppose the corrupt, coercive and counter-productive bills passed by the US House and Senate. They represent fiscal disaster and do nothing to provide health care to the poor.
It is, in fact, the status quo that threatens fiscal disaster. Health care costs already represent 17% of our economy. One half of all bankruptcies in the U.S. are due to health care bills. Small and medium-sized businesses are being squeezed by the rising cost of health insurance premiums.
The bills passed by the House and Senate do help to provide better access to health care for the poor by expanding Medicaid, offering subsidies to low and middle income individuals to purchase insurance, and barring preexisting condition exclusions in health insurance plans.
MCC has been working closely with other faith-based organizations to try to improve the bills. Among other things, we have been calling for more generous subsidies for the poor and encouraging stronger cost-containment measures. The bills are far from perfect but they are at least a first step in improving access to health care for the poor and for those with chronic conditions.