The Senate vote on health care reform brings the bill one step closer to a final deal. But if there's one thing everyone can agree on, it's that health reform is really, really complicated. Here, we break it down with a Buzz roundup on top questions that the Web wants to know.
What is the health care bill?
The Senate bill ensures that almost every American is guaranteed affordable health care, regardless of income or health. Currently, 50 million Americans do not have health coverage. Health care reform has been a top goal for Obama's domestic agenda — which, he says, will help stabilize skyrocketing health care costs, and in turn help get the economy back on track. The last attempt, under President Bill Clinton in 1993, ended in failure. This latest effort, while messy, combative (see: "tea bagger" movement), and controversial, does seem to be set to become law.
Where can I read the health care bill?
We're all for doing your own research, but beware: The Senate version of the bill is a hefty 2,074 pages — not exactly light reading. You've been warned. But hey, knock yourself out. (Just not literally, please.)
What will it cost?
As CNN puts it, that depends. While the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that passage of health care reform will reduce the deficit by $132 billion over 10 years, that assumes that the bill is followed to the letter. This seems iffy, given that the Senate bill needs to be merged with the House bill, and cost controls could change during negotiations. Plus, there's no telling how Congress will change health care in the future. Stay tuned.
What is the public option?
The public health insurance option would provide a government-offered alternative to private insurance. But because of strong opposition by Sen. Joe Lieberman, that provision was dropped from the Senate bill. Lieberman, along with Republicans and insurance companies, argue that the public option would gradually lead to a government takeover of the health care system. Democrats counter that a public option would create healthy competition and more consumer choices. Instead, the Senate bill will allow for nationwide nonprofit private plans overseen by the Office of Personnel Management, the same agency that negotiates health plans for Congress and federal employees.
What happens next?
While this vote is an important milestone, the next step will be to reconcile the Senate version with the House version — easier said than done. The two bills contain major differences on key issues like public insurance and abortion coverage. Once the bills are reconciled, they need to be merged into one, and voted on again by both chambers, then passed along for the president to sign. Enjoy your break, Congress. January will be a grind.
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