Current Event on the Healthcare Reform - Essay Example

Current Event Paper on the Healthcare Reform President of the United s, Barack Obama signed legislation on March 23, expected to overhaulthe nation’s health care system and guarantee access to medical insurance for tens of millions of Americans. Though the most controversial and without a single Republican vote, it was the biggest single legislative achievement for two years in his office. In September 2010, a number of important provisions took effect. Insurers were banned from dropping sick and costly customers after discovering technical mistakes on applications and required to offer coverage to children under 26 on their parents’ policies. Because of continued opposition by Republicans, 20 court challenges, and many states objections, in February, 2011, President Obama signaled flexibility on the issue. He said he was willing to amend the measure to give states the ability to opt out of its most controversial requirements right from the start, including the mandate that most people buy insurance, as long as they could find another way to expand coverage without driving up health care costs. Under the current law, states must wait until 2017 to obtain waivers (NYT.com 2011). Republicans all over the country campaigned on a promise to repeal the bill and on taking control of the House and improved ranks in the Senate in the November 2010, elections action on health care were the first priority. On Jan. 19, 2011, the House voted 245 to 189 on party line in favor of repeal, albeit, largely a symbolic act and the bid that was successful in the House to repeal the sweeping heath care overhaul by Republicans was defeated by Democrats a few weeks later in the Senate with 47 to 51 votes. Republicans were unanimous, however, falling 13 short of the required 60 votes needed to get the proposal through (NYT.com 2011). Republicans highly denounced the health care overhaul as impediment to job creation and government alleged bigger role in the health care system, contrary to that the Democrats highlighted the benefits, particularly for the uninsured, pointed out the non partisan Congressional Budget Office’s projection that the law would bring down the future budgetary deficits. However, lawmakers in non partisan voting 81 (47 Republicans and 34 Democrats) to 17 votes decided, to remove a tax provision in the law that would impose a huge information-reporting requirement on small businesses. The health care law seeks to extend insurance to more than 30 million people by expanding Medicaid and providing federal subsidies to help lower and middle-income Americans buy private coverage. Republicans said their package would probably include proposals to allow sales of health insurance across state lines; to help small businesses band together and buy insurance; to limit damages in medical malpractice suits; and to promote the use of health savings accounts, in combination with high-deductible insurance policies (NYT.com 2011). The Health care Reform Law Overview The health care reform law will provide coverage to an estimated 32 million people, 95% of Americans will be insured. About 16 million people will be added in Medicaid rolls, and there would be subsidized private coverage for low and middle-income groups. It mandates regulating private insurers closely, forbidding many practices such as denial of care for pre-existing medical conditions (Whitehouse.guv 2011). The House (Congress) on March 21, 2010 approved the health care bill by 219 to 212 votes that had been passed by Senate in December, 2009. Republicans, though unanimously voted against the bill in both houses, no major legislation was ever passed in recent times without a single Republican vote, and made it an issue in the Congressional election the following fall. 20 states filed suit, challenging the requirement that most Americans should have insurance. The legislation will cost the government about $938 billion over 10 years (NYT.com 2011). President Obama said after the healthcare reform bill was passed in the House (Congress) on March 21, 2010, "This legislation will not fix everything that ails our healthcare system, but it moves us decisively in the right direction. This is what change looks like" (NYT.com 2010). Reform will make health care more affordable, make health insurers more accountable; expand health coverage to all Americans, and make the health system sustainable, stabilizing family budgets, the Federal budget, and the economy (Whitehouse.guv 2011). Background history The Democrats’ wish for universal access to health insurance ultimately was fulfilled by the passage of the Health care reform bill. To put it in perspective, Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the house and a democrat herself, summing up the debate, described the bill as "the great unfinished business of our society" (House.guv. 2010). Democrat’s desire has been there for a long time. President Franklin D. Roosevelt wanted to incorporate some kind of national health insurance program in his Social Security in 1935, however legislation was not tried and American Medical Association continued their opposition for any such move. President Harry S. Truman had called for health care overhaul proposed a national health care program with contributory insurance fund. JF Kennedy proposed health benefits to social security recipients in 1962. Ever since, almost all Democrat presidents and a few Republican candidates wanted to provide affordable coverage to most of Americans. President Bill Clinton had the most ambitious proposal in Health security act failed to pass in Congress, were even opposed by many Congressional Democrats. The Republicans capitalized on Clinton’s health care policy, health care cost and the dwindling health care system to take control of Congress in the midterm elections of 1994 (NYT.com 2009). Health care Reform and Judiciary More than 20 challenges to the sprawling act have been filed around the country, many put in motion by Republican governors and attorneys general. Many focused on the so-called individual mandate, a requirement that all Americans buy health coverage or pay a fine (or tax, depending on who is describing it). By February 2011, three judges had upheld the mandate and two had found it unconstitutional. The issue is considered almost certain to be determined by the Supreme Court (NYT.com 2011). The long awaited health care reform is ultimately happened, though conservatives and Republicans have always opposed any socialistic approach of any government and the President of United States. This is definitely a change for good of general citizens and all the stake holders of the United States health care system. Works Cited Health Care Reform Overview. Whitehouse.Gov. 27 Mar.2011.Web.27 Mar.2011 Health Care Reform. The New York Times.27 Mar. 2011.Web.27 Mar.2011 Health Care Reform. The New York Times.19 Jul 2009.Web.27 Mar.2011 Health Care. House.Gov. Washington DC. 27 Mar 2011.Web. 27 Mar.2011 Read More