About time too! Let's get this show on the road!
The Senate finally looks like it has put this on track to a bill being signed before the end of the year - in spite of all the slave-to-the-Insurance-Lobbyists Republicans trying their best to be partisan heels and use the filibuster.
Looks like the US might finally now join the rest of the industrialised Western democracies in assuming its societal responsibilities where national healthcare is concerned.
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Excuse my ignorance.... I have been following the story but not the detail..... does this mean that every American will now receive free health care?
ReplyDeleteNo need to apologise Anne - the US couldn't have done this in a more convoluted and partisan manner if they'd tried; so it's not surprising that most people haven't either been able, or had the will, to keep up with it. Fact is, most Senators probably didn't even read the bill in its entirety, just the précised highlights written by someone whose job it was to present only the negative things (which on the Republican side means anything which might have reduced the amount of money they each get from the Insurance lobbyists in, ahem, "campaign donations" - or sweeteners to do the lobbyists' bidding, to you and me), and those which steered clear of abortion being funded by the tax-payer on the Dem's side. Partially farcical.
ReplyDeleteHowever, in answer to you question: no, even with this reform bill passed in the Senate, it's a completely watered-down bill than the one which got sent up from the House - the list of compromises and dilutions would make your eyes water - and it's certainly nothing like what you or I might understand and cherish as 'national healthcare' provision.
But, alas for them, the US is always going be a third-world nation, in terms of healthcare, as long as receiving healthcare there is predicated on the mandatory requirement to have health insurance.
They're going to mandate health coverage, which I guess will make it universal. But I've always assumed so many people don't have it because they can't afford it. Hopefully, the bill will also help people pay for it. If you get fined for not having it, they better make sure the fine is more than the monthly premium.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the explanation Kirk - being an American, you'll be close to the action on this than we Brits.
ReplyDeleteLike you say, I knew the plan was to make having health insurance mandatory for all (the hope being that, by default, this would give "everyone" access to actual healthcare), but again like you say, if folks have not bought it in the past due to not being able to afford it, how will that work? You can tell someone all you like that they have to buy it, but if they can't afford it, you're back to square one. And, where some may not be able to afford it, to then heap penalties on top for non-payment seems impractical and unfair? Unless, like you say again, there's some form of national or local assistance scheme?
Gotta say we in UK, Ireland, Europe and Australia & New Zealand look at the idea of having to pay for health insurance BEFORE we can receive any healthcare as iniquitous - but I guess you're already aware of that, right?
It's the fear of the S word that we have in this country. S as in socialism. So, health care reform has to be free-market friendly as possible. Never mind that it was the free market that got us into this mess in the first place.
ReplyDeleteI agree Kirk - and think you and I had this conversation with Hoose over on Erin's blog - but I don't think there's anything like a proper understanding of 'Socialism' in the US - it tends to be a Cold War-entrenched throwback and used arbitrarily, and as a synonym for both Communism and Marxism, rendering it comical.
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At long last !!!
ReplyDeleteUS Senate passes Obama's landmark healthcare bill
Senate votes 60-39 for sweeping reforms, which will see medical insurance extended to 30 million Americans
this is the Language of the Health care bill :
ReplyDeletehttp://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.3962.pcs:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.3962:
Source: United States Library Of Congress
Thanks Chris - just a pity your Senators couldn't be bothered reading it. ;)
ReplyDeleteSomeone suggested your blog, so I'm "checking you out." I suspect we have similar threads in our thinking and writing. My blog (The Penultimate Word) comments on politics, religion, sports, culture, film, and other eclectic themes. Mostly politics, though. Your take on the Health Care issue resonates with me.
ReplyDeleteSo...I'm going to add you to my "Blogs I'm Following" list if that's okay with you.
Welcome Jed, happy to have you aboard! Always good to meet a kindred spirit :)
ReplyDeleteLikewise, I'll add your blog to my blogroll - have you got a link for me so I can add it?
Incidentally, who was it who suggested me?