Happy Health Care!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 10:54pm

May we all be happy and healthy and have long lives!

Congratulations, congressional Democrats. It took too long, and it's not the best of bills, but you did it.

Now. About my gay marriage...

[shira467]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 10:55pm

I feel having champagne in celebration!

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 10:58pm

But won't it be 2014 before the changes take effect?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 10:58pm

The House of Representatives is now debating a Republican motion to kill the just-passed health care bill by sending it back to committee.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 11:05pm

Whoa, Stupak made an appearance on the floor accepting that the Pitts-Stupak amendment was just used to kill the healthcare bill and wants this bill passed without it. Of course the executive order will happen separately (Yuck).

JerseyGirl, Diva posted this in the other thread:
http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/what-you-get-when-hcr-passes

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 11:09pm

Those are some great immediate benefits! I will not be participating in any of them. lol I'm a SOCIALIST now.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 11:09pm

Ok, so I'm still very confused by this whole thing. I'm uninsured right now so does this bill passing mean I'm able to get some sort of coverage? If so, how do I do it, how will I know what I can do and blah blah blah. I'm confusified.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 11:10pm

The Republicans will say taxes rise immediately and benefits start years from now.

The Democrats will say there are no new costs for the middle class and the most needed aspects of the bill happen immediately (meaning 6 months).

The truth is...?

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 11:13pm

Somewhere in between where it usually is?

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 11:20pm

My 20 year old can go back on my insurance policy. That's an immediate benefit.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 11:24pm

Socialist!

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 11:27pm

He's the Socialist.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 12:00am

I'm actually the Socialist, but whatever.

[Biff AKA Levi]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 12:02am

Is there an official website where we can read up on the bill?

Something that might end in .gov?

[singtopher]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 12:08am

factcheck.org is always good. It doesn't have the bill, but it does criticize certain claims folks have made on both sides of the aisle about health care. I just went to read up.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 12:21am

Elections have consequences. For the GOP, it was war with Iraq. For the Dems, it was the start of fixing our health care system.

This bill is not perfect, but it is a great first step.

[Lavieboheme3090]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 2:24am

Here is a pretty good article about what happens now.

"The House passed the overhaul — now what?"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35977921/ns/politics-health_care_reform/
Updated On: 3/22/10 at 02:24 AM

[madbrian]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 8:55am

This bill is a good start to healthcare reform. Now, Obama needs to sell this to the country. The GOP has been very effective in spreading misinformation about this issue, villifying it with everything from death panels to abortion to socialism. None of that was ever in play, but it's hard to convince people of that. This bill makes healthcare available to almost all Americans, regulates some of the most abusive practices by healthcare providers, and decreases the deficit. It doesn't kill grandpa, it doesn't fund abortions, and it isn't a government takeover of the insurance industry. Oh, and it DECREASES THE DEFICIT. Obama needs to convey that message.

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 9:38am

Some pretty big changes take effect immediately. Like being covered until 26 and children can no longer be denied coverage for pre existing conditions. People won't doubt it any longer when they start seeing the benefits. There is no way the Republicans will get this repealed no matter what happens in November.

"We followed the most radical voices in the party and the movement, and they led us to abject and irreversible defeat."
David Frum...Former Assistant to George W. Bush

And Obama has just secured my vote for 2012

[madbrian]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 9:56am

The GOP has put politics ahead of policy here. What has been passed is regulation and reform, and consists primarily of changes on which both sides agree. However, they've made this issue their vehicle by which they would derail Obama's agenda.

By the way, EVERYONE in the house ON BOTH SIDES should have voted for the reconciliation bill. Given that the Senate version was passed, the reconciliation bill was designed to, among other things, strip out the sweetheart deals that were in there. Voting 'no' on the reconciliation is the equivalent of saying that the Senate bill is not improved by the proposed changes.

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 10:05am

Obama worked his ass of for this. I don't think he's slept a wink in days. He and the other members of congress who worked so hard to pass this should be proud of themselves.

It's not a perfect solution, but it's a step in the right direction.

It's been a LONG time since we've had one of those. A major accomplishment, and it makes me glad I voted for him.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 10:08am

I fail to see the reform in this Bill. Hoping to be surprised by it. It's rather ironic that Pelosi compared it to both Medicaid and Social Security. Two social programs our government has driven into bankruptcy. As for it decreasing the deficit...?!?!?! If providing health insurance coverage to an additional 46 million people decreases the deficit, then why not provide it to the rest of the world, and eliminate the national debt?! It's absurd! The Republicans are complete and utter losers in this. The were about nothing but no. I think the Bill stinks, but it was at least something. The Republicans needed to do a point by point rebuttal AND suggest an alternative for real REFORM. They didn't. Just saying no does nothing.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 10:21am

Everyone is forced into buying insurance. Yeah, that's something we should celebrate. Personal freedom being stolen from you is always something worth celebrating.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 10:28am

No, this bill is not perfect. Few bills are. [Single payer, anyone?] But this is a step in the right direction for the wealthiest nation the world has ever known (that would be US) to have health care and insurance for all of its citizens.

By the way, the "Pitts" of Pitts-Stupak is a creation science advocate who I swear, would be a flat-earther if he would just fess up to it. He is my brother's congressman and is The Peter Principle applied to Pennsylvnaia politics.

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 10:40am

"Everyone is forced into buying insurance. Yeah, that's something we should celebrate. Personal freedom being stolen from you is always something worth celebrating."

Ha! That is...lolable.

Yes Goth we should have continued to let insurance companies deny coverage to 3 year olds for pre existing conditions. Yes we should continue to let insurance companies cancel coverage when we become sick. These were all good things.