Health Care Reform Bill passes

Yesterday the House of Representatives passed a Health Care Reform bill by a slim margin and the contentious issue is not going away. Already some states want to outlaw it and there are legal challenges already in the works. The battle has divided the country along conservative and liberal lines; it seems that the most contentious issue is the requirement that everybody buy insurance, and the argument that because of the power of the government that it will drive private companies out of health care. The argument has become very heated and the vitrol seems to come from several sources, not the least from people who are worried that they will lose their benefits or choices.

Some facts are that 87% of Americans have some form of Insurance, but that the rest, about 45 million either cannot afford to pay premiums or have been refused helathcare insurance. The bill aims to insure between half and two thirds of them through subsidies for the cost of getting insurance and it makes getting insurance by 2014 manditory.

I will be eligible for Medicare in two years and for me the benefit of the bill is that most of my prescription drug costs will be covered, along with what i will get under Medicare for doctor and hospital care.

One of the things I like best about the plan is the emphasis given to preventative care. It has been claimed that people with so-called "Cadillac" plans, which would be taxed, don't go for preventative care.

I am still puzzled by the rage this issue has seemingly caused in the piblic, which is in part fanned by the politicians who opposed it. There is alot of partisan politics and we haven't finished the battle over this. Like some of FDR's legislation the opponants will fight this in the courts even if Obama loses supporters who get defeated in the mid year elections.