Obama, House Dems confident on health care vote

Erica Werner and Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, The Associated Press
November 6th, 2009 - 1:29 AM
November 6th, 2009 - 1:33 AM
AARP, AMA, Barack Obama, congress, health care, house, House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, Obama, President Obama, Senate, Steny Hoyer, U.S.
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WASHINGTON — Buoyed by two major endorsements, House Democratic leaders on Thursday predicted swift passage of President Barack Obama’s historic health overhaul initiative. The president himself declared, “We are closer to passing this reform than ever before.”

With a vote set for Saturday, momentum gathered behind the sweeping legislation to remake the U.S. health care system and extend coverage to millions of the uninsured. The American Medical Association and the powerful seniors’ lobby AARP both threw their weight behind the bill Thursday.

“We are right on the brink,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “We have an historic opportunity for us to again provide quality health care for all Americans. It is something that many of us have worked our whole political lifetimes on.”

Pelosi and other Democratic leaders were working to negotiate final language on abortion and illegal immigration and nail down the 218 votes they’ll need to pass the bill. Obama planned to give them an assist Friday with a rare visit to Capitol Hill to meet with Democrats and shore up any wavering support.

Despite the optimism, work remained to be done, and a much slower timeline in the Senate made the ultimate outcome unpredictable. Action in the Senate may not come until next year, and legislation passed by the two chambers would have to be reconciled before a bill could go to Obama.

Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and other House leaders spent Thursday in back-to-back meetings on final details of the 10-year, $1.2 trillion bill.Leaders were hoping anti-abortion Democrats could coalesce around language strengthening restrictions already in the bill against federal funding going to pay for abortions, but anti-abortion groups weren’t satisfied. On immigration, there was still a question as to whether illegal immigrants — who would not get federal subsidies to help them buy coverage — would be allowed to shop for private insurance within a new purchasing exchange using their own money.

The House bill would cover 96 percent of Americans, providing government subsidies beginning in 2013 to extend coverage to millions who now lack it.

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Health Care

In 1996, Stephen Wiggins CEO of Oxford Health Plans took $100.9 million in annual compensation. Then, he resigned. David Snow, William Sullivan and Robert Smoler, also executives of Oxford Health Plans, took another$86.7 million. Four greedy men took from one HMO (an UN-managed Insurance Corporation) a total of $198.6 million out of this insurance company.

That same year, 1996, William McGuire, took $51.2 million out of United HealthCare. Recently, McGuire had to give a little back. He lost in a class action lawsuit in California. Remember, this was in 1996. Executive greed has rocketed out of sight every year since for 13 years.

When you and I sign up and pay for a health insurance policy and that insurance company accepts my premium payment, that is a legal contract. When anyone violates the terms of a contract, they have broken a law and should be prosecuted.

I have had far more than enough personal losses from having health insurance company thieves transfer money that should have paid for my health care into their bloated bank accounts.

Ena Wason (not verified)    11/6/2009 - 2:30 AM

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