Reid Unveils Senate Health Care Reform Bill
source: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/health/policy/19health.html
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WASHINGTON – Democratic leaders in the Senate unveiled their proposal on Wednesday for overhauling the health care system, outlining landmark legislation that they said would cover most of the uninsured while reducing the federal budget deficit.
Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, said at an evening news conference that the legislation, which represents President Obama’s signature domestic initiative and will be subject to lengthy and heated debate on the Senate floor, would impose new regulations on insurers, extend coverage to 31 million people who currently do not have any and add new benefits to Medicare.
But he said the bill, despite a price tag of $849 billion over 10 years, would still reduce projected budget deficits by $127 billion over a decade because the costs would be more than offset by new taxes and reductions in government spending, particularly on Medicare.
Democrats expressed confidence that they would have the votes necessary to move forward when the legislation hits its first test in the Senate, probably on Saturday, in the form of a procedural hurdle that will require a united front from all 58 Democrats and the two independents aligned with them.
Mr. Reid wrote the legislation over the past several weeks, combining portions of two previous bills adopted by Senate committees. The House passed its version of the health care legislation earlier this month.
The official cost analysis of the new Senate bill by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office also was not immediately available, but if the cost projection holds up, it would meet Mr. Obama’s requirement that the bill’s costs be held to about $900 billion.
Calling the bill “impressive,” the White House chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, said: “This legislation meets the president’s objectives, provides protection from insurance companies, contains true cost controls and extends coverage to working families.”
“We all know that this legislation is tremendously important,” Mr. Reid said at the news conference. “Why? Because it saves lives, it saves money.”
The measure includes a government-run insurance plan, or public option, with a provision allowing states to opt out.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/health/policy/19health.html
Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, said at an evening news conference that the legislation, which represents President Obama’s signature domestic initiative and will be subject to lengthy and heated debate on the Senate floor, would impose new regulations on insurers, extend coverage to 31 million people who currently do not have any and add new benefits to Medicare.
But he said the bill, despite a price tag of $849 billion over 10 years, would still reduce projected budget deficits by $127 billion over a decade because the costs would be more than offset by new taxes and reductions in government spending, particularly on Medicare.
Democrats expressed confidence that they would have the votes necessary to move forward when the legislation hits its first test in the Senate, probably on Saturday, in the form of a procedural hurdle that will require a united front from all 58 Democrats and the two independents aligned with them.
Mr. Reid wrote the legislation over the past several weeks, combining portions of two previous bills adopted by Senate committees. The House passed its version of the health care legislation earlier this month.
The official cost analysis of the new Senate bill by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office also was not immediately available, but if the cost projection holds up, it would meet Mr. Obama’s requirement that the bill’s costs be held to about $900 billion.
Calling the bill “impressive,” the White House chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, said: “This legislation meets the president’s objectives, provides protection from insurance companies, contains true cost controls and extends coverage to working families.”
“We all know that this legislation is tremendously important,” Mr. Reid said at the news conference. “Why? Because it saves lives, it saves money.”
The measure includes a government-run insurance plan, or public option, with a provision allowing states to opt out.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/health/policy/19health.html
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JohnA
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While reducing the federal budget deficit. Anyone who believes that, let me know, I have some bridges for sale I can let you have cheap.
- 2 years ago
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JohnA
