OVERVIEW: Comparisons of Senate and House Versions of Healthcare Reform Legislation
Senate Approves Health Care Bill, Dec 24, 2009
The New York Times reports that the Senate approved healthcare reform legislation Thursday morning in a 60-39 vote. "The bill would require most Americans to have health insurance, would add 15 million people to the Medicaid rolls and would subsidize private coverage for low- and middle-income people, at a cost to the government of $871 billion over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office."
"After struggling for years to expand health insurance in modest, incremental ways, Democrats decided this year that they could not let another opportunity slip away." While the bill will cover 31 million otherwise uninsured people, by 2019, another 23 million uninsured will remain.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the bill "would deliver on a long-promised Democratic goal of extending coverage to nearly every American, and would represent the biggest expansion of the federal safety net since the 1965 creation of Medicare, the health-insurance program for the elderly and disabled." And, in Republicans view, it "would impose massive regulatory and financial burdens on taxpayers and businesses, and would dig the government even deeper in debt."
The Senate's vote puts President Obama's Administration on the verge of creating a near-universal health-insurance system, an accomplishment that has eluded presidents since Theodore Roosevelt." However, the Senate's version of the bill will need to be reconciled with a passed House version, and a compromise is not expected until January's end at the earliest .
The US House of Representatives in a late session on Saturday November 7th passed a health care bill by a vote of 220-215
With the passage of H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, proponents of health care reform took a significant step forward, however seeing the bill through to passage in its current language remains uncertain. It's as yet unknown when the Senate will vote on a version of the health care legislation debated in that chamber. If the Senate passes its bill, then House and Senate bills would have to be reconciled via conference committee into one document and voted on again.
Pennsylvania Delegation to the U.S.House: Roll Call on Health Care - Voting yes were 219 Democrats and 1 Republican. Voting no were 39 Democrats and 176 Republicans. Democrats: Altmire, N; Brady, Y; Carney, Y; Dahlkemper, Y; Doyle, Y; Fattah, Y; Holden, N; Kanjorski, Y; Murphy, Patrick, Y; Murtha, Y; Schwartz, Y; Sestak, Y. Republicans: Dent, N; Gerlach, N; Murphy, Tim, N; Pitts, N; Platts, N; Shuster, N; Thompson, N.
The House Democrats needed 218 votes to ensure passage of the bill. In the final tally, 219 Democrats voted for the legislation, and 39 voted against it including nays from Rep. Jason Altmire (D-PA 4th Congressional District) and self identified Blue Dog Democrat Rep. Tim Holden (D-PA 17th Congressional District). Rep. Joe Cao, a first term Republican representing a district which includes the New Orleans section of Louisiana, was the only Republican who voted in favor of the bill.
HR 3962 ensures that all health plans offered through the Health Insurance Exchange will be required to BOTH offer coverage of mental illness and substance use treatment AND do so in compliance with the new Wellstone-Domenici parity law.
Side by Side Comparison of the 3 Major Health Care Reform Proposals
Advocacy Urgently Needed in Support of Health Care Reform!
Brings costs under control, and includes full coverage of mental illness treatment on the same terms and conditions as all other medical conditions.
Send a letter to your House member or Senators using NAMI's Legislative Action Center
Reach out while Legislators are at Home. During the Independence Day recess, reach out to members of Congress at July 4th parades and picnics, radio call-in shows, town hall meetings and other public appearances to press for support of health reform legislation.
Learn More - What is NAMI's position on Health Reform?
NAMI supports President Obama's goals for health care reform including: Universal coverage, Cost containment, Quality improvement, and Protecting existing coverage for those who have it.
Beyond these principles, NAMI is also supporting a range of specific priorities to address the needs of children and adults living with serious mental illness. As part of this process, NAMI has submitted detailed recommendations to Congress and is supporting a range of discreet legislative proposals that are expected to be a part of debate in Congress.
Read NAMI's principles for health reform
View additional information on health reform on the NAMI Web site, including comments submitted on the separate House and Senate bills, as well as letters of support from NAMI on the House "Tri-Committee" bill and the Senate HELP Committee bill.
