Today's Washington Times is reporting that the House of Representatives passed their version of healthcare reform late last night by a vote of 220-215. One Republican voted for the vote--Representative Anh "Joseph" Cao of Louisiana, the man who replaced William Jefferson.
The only amendment that was allowed to the bill was the amendment that prohibits federal money being used to pay for abortions. It is not clear whether that amendment will stand when the bill is combined with the Senate version.
According to the Washington Times, the bill that passed the House of Representatives would:
"...establish a government-run public insurance plan, require nearly all employers to provide insurance, institute insurance industry reforms and distribute tax credits to help the poor and middle class buy mandatory insurance coverage. It would cover 36 million of the nation's uninsured population.
"It would be paid for with cuts to the Medicare program, which Democrats said would eliminate waste and fraud, and new taxes on single Americans reporting incomes over $500,000 or couples making over $1 million.
The bill will cost $1.2 trillion dollars. The much less expensive Republican healthcare bill was rejected by a near party-line vote of 258-176.
Congress will not be impacted by the changes made to the healthcare system. The rest of us will be required to go into government plans within the next five years. It's time the professional politicians went home to live with the laws they have passed.
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