Forget health care reform hysterics. The real drama occurred after the actual vote on Sunday night, during a debate on a procedural measure offered by House Republicans.
The penned, and prior defeated, Stupak Amendment that was written and sponsored by the congressman of the same name fought to rid the health care bill of any allowance on federal abortion funding.
This, however, did not sit well with House Democrats who desperately needed the moderate Democrat, or “blue dog” votes (who are generally pro-life). In the typical political fashion of wheeling, dealing and horse-trading, the White House copped a deal: Stupak’s vote (and his fellow followers) in exchange for an executive order with similar language as the Stupak Amendment. With that came happy Democrat blue dogs and a happy Nancy Pelosi who finally had the 216 votes needed for passage.
Flash forward to all the baby killing. Stupak vehemently opposed the measure offered by Republicans, which would have taken the bill back to committee to amend and add the abortion language that Stupak previously vehemently advocated for. “Baby killer” was shouted during this time, à la Joe Wilson circa this year’s State of the Union (“You lie!”). But really, enough dramatics. What does the “biggest government overhaul of health care in 100 years” mean for you? Lay down your pitchforks, because the answer is - not much.
Unless you have a pre-existing condition and have been denied insurance, are below the poverty line and unable to afford insurance, are older than 65 and on Medicare, or make more than $200,000 a year (most of us, I’m sure), the bill generally leaves you alone. And most of the provisions won’t take effect until 2014. Other than an individual mandate, what it does throw our generation is the ability to stay on our parents’ plan until the age of 26, which aids greatly in the awkward in-between phase of college and employment. But what’s the cost? That’s a little harder to answer.
Estimates are that the $940 billion bill will reduce the federal deficit by around $150 billion over 10 years. Republicans argue that this does not include a $300 million “doctor fix” that makes up for reduction in Medicare physician reimbursement. However, that’s another column. Suffice it to say that, come November, we’ll see if Americans are on Team Democratic “baby killers” or Team “name-calling” Republicans.
