US Senate Passes
Landmark Health Bill
For
a third straight day, Democrats mustered the 60 party-line votes
needed to keep a new health bill on track for passage on
Thursday, despite opposition from Republicans.
The vote virtually ensures the final passage of the US President
Barack Obama’s top legislative priority, the biggest changes in
the $2.5 trillion U.S. healthcare system since the
creation of the government-run Medicare health program for the
elderly in 1965.
This development would
set up negotiations in January to iron out differences with the
House of Representatives, which approved its own version on
November 7.
’’It has been a long time coming,’’ Democratic Senator
Max Baucus said, citing a list of unsuccessful reform efforts
including the most recent failure of Democratic President Bill
Clinton in 1994.
The bill would extend health coverage to more than 30 million
uninsured and stop industry practices like refusing insurance to
people with pre-existing medical conditions.
Christmas present
This seems a remarkable early Christmas gift for President
Barack Obama. He has welcomed the vote.
He said the bill accomplishes 95% of what he wanted.
In his words, ’’Every single criterion for reform I put
forward is in this bill.’’
It is critical for Obama, whose political standing and
legislative agenda could hinge on its success. His public
approval ratings have dipped to about 50 per cent in many polls
as the acrimonious debate dragged on.
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