What IS in the Health Care Bill?

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/12/17/what_is_in_the_health_care_bill/

The health-care reform legislation pending in Congress would be the largest program on behalf of low- to moderate-income people in the United States since the 1960s. Besides subsidizing coverage, it would create a new mechanism for purchasing insurance that would give greater buying power to people who now purchase policies individually and through small employers. It would eliminate pre-existing condition exclusions. It would enable people to buy policies at the same price regardless of their health (albeit with some allowance for differences in age). It would raise the standards of coverage for millions of people who are underinsured. It would represent a commitment by the federal government to make health insurance affordable to every American. And by making that commitment, the government would effectively commit itself to controlling both public and private health-care costs.

Oh, and by the way, according to the Congressional Budget Office, it would reduce the deficit and, according to the Medicare actuary, it would extend the life of the Medicare trust fund.

The public option has received far more attention than it deserves. The version that was under consideration in the Senate would have--again, according to the CBO--enrolled less than 2 percent of the nation's population, and it would likely have had higher premiums than private insurers. It had no material bearing on the success of this program, and given its initial form it was unlikely to develop into a strong public insurance system.

There are critical differences between the House and Senate bills (and still unresolved questions about the final version of the Senate bill, assuming there will be one). Ideally, the House's stronger regulatory provisions and faster timetable for implementation will prevail over the weaker regulation and slower timetable in the Senate bill. But I have no doubt that this legislation, even with many compromises, is worth supporting.

let the screaming and crying begin!

It just seems unlikely to me.

:shrug:

excellent responses/questions below it on the webpage though.

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People without jobs. People who lost their life savings. People who lost their homes. People who were counting on getting affordable health care for their families. PEOPLE WHO HAVE FUCKING HAD ENOUGH!

You see screaming and crying. I see anger, rage, frustration, feelings of being powerless and the knowledge that we are getting fucked over royally. Good luck with your arrogant insults :rofl:

You certainly seem to consider yourself separate from "us" since you are repeating this phrasing.

Many of the "us" that you strive so hard to differentiate yourself from gave enormous time, energy and funds to get a democratic majority elected and we do have certain expectations, and yes, those are high expectations of our representatives to work to turn around the country from the mess left by the Bush crew.

people who are either blind sheep or so happy with the way things are going that they have no clue how bad the rest are hurting. Which are you? Clueless or an asshole?

Why have they been fighting it tooth and nail every step of the way? :shrug: