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Senate OKs health care measure, reaching milestone
By Erica Werner, The Associated Press
Thursday, December 24, 2009 8:33 AM EST


Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin of Illinois talks to reporters about health care reform outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington.




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WASHINGTON — The Senate has passed President Barack Obama's landmark health care overhaul in a climactic Christmas Eve vote, extending medical insurance to 30 million Americans. The bill requires nearly all Americans to buy insurance and forbids insurance companies from denying coverage based on patients' pre-existing conditions.

The 60-39 vote on a cold morning capped months of arduous negotiations and 24 days of floor debate. It followed a succession of failures by past Congresses to get to this point. Vice President Joe Biden presided as 58 Democrats and two independents voted "yes." Republicans unanimously voted "no."

The Senate's bill must still be merged with legislation passed by the House before Obama could sign a final bill in the new year.

There are significant differences between the two measures but Democrats say they've come too far now to fail. Both bills would extend health insurance to more than 30 million more Americans.

Vicki Kennedy, the widow of the late Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy, who made health reform his life's work, watched the vote from the gallery.
"This morning isn't the end of the process, it's merely the beginning. We'll continue to build on this success to improve our health system even more," Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said before the vote. "But that process cannot begin unless we start today ... There may not be a next time."

The House passed its own measure in November. The White House and Congress have now come further toward the goal of a comprehensive overhaul of the nation's health care system than any of their predecessors.
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s-plumb wrote on Dec 25, 2009 2:05 PM:

" skeptic: any results on the survey? "

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ken wrote on Dec 25, 2009 8:33 AM:

" Anna, one thing I know for sure is that one Congress cannot pass a law that a future Congress cannot undo.

Vladsback - Ken has health insurance.

Get it right - still cannot answer a simple question. What does this bill do for you?

For all those who are in favor of this bill. I suggest you go see the Wizard for a brain. Since no seems to know what is in the Senate bill for sure and now both the House version and Senate versions must be combined. so one knows what the final bill is going to be. Thus you must need a brain to be in favor of something that does not exist in its current form.

For me, I know from both bills that there are too many things I don't like. So I have clue!

Lastly our congressman are so lame, that if they held out maybe they could have gotten us some money! Oh we did get a little payment for the Senatorial appointment. More about this later.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! "

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artie lange wrote on Dec 25, 2009 8:03 AM:

" I read an article awhile back and said the CBO report was best case scenario, the good stuff was in the footnotes. One footnote said "our assumption is if companies drop health insurance, they will increase the employees pay by the health care cost savings". This footnote was found in the section in regards to income tax.

Also, what they don't mention is where are we going to get doctors who care for 30 million people? "

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rabblerouser wrote on Dec 24, 2009 5:51 PM:

" This bill is Dead on Arrival! I heard your President at the State of the Union Address say with my own ears that he would not sign a health care bill if it raised taxes or added to the federal deficit.
If he does I will be able to say the same thing Rep. Joe Wilson from S.C. said about your president, YOU LIE!
Time will tell! It's time, OBAMA, You Lie! "

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Anna D wrote on Dec 24, 2009 5:31 PM:

" Mery Christmas from the Democrats in Congress to all the saps who voted for them:
http://www.defendyourhealthcare.us/images/10_Lumps_Of_Coal_In_The_Health_Care_Bill_12-24-09_.pdf

What you can expect from socialized healthcare. "

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AttleboroResident wrote on Dec 24, 2009 3:32 PM:

" Another item receiving little to no attention in the media is that the states will be forced to pick up 9% of the costs for the expansion of Medicaid. How are the states, specifically our state going to pay for that? By taxing you and me. Medicaid already eats 27% of the Massachusetts budget. The Nelson deal for Nebraska made headlines but no reports I saw detailed why Nelson thought it was important to seek such a deal. He did so because his the state can not afford this! "

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AttleboroResident wrote on Dec 24, 2009 2:56 PM:

" For a cost of 890 Billion dollars, the plan will provide coverage for 30 million people. Simple math says there were cheaper alternatives that were not explored or allowed. There are taxes on individuals making greater than 200K. BO stated no new taxes for those making less than 250K – broken promises?? There’s a 40% excise taxed levied against some but not all insurance companies. Yeah, increasing the cost to provide insurance will lower premiums. Read the bill people. There were better ways to provide insurance for the uninsured. A bill averaging 30,000 per uninsured was not the least expensive. Thought you had decent coverage at your job? Think again. How many companies will opt for the $750 fine to avoid having to provide coverage? That seems like an easy out for business that will drive people to the Insurance Exchanges. The holes in this bill will screw the middle class, again. – That is my Independent, not Republican opinion. "

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s-plumb wrote on Dec 24, 2009 12:48 PM:

" No vlad, I mean 1%...but for the sake of "argument" we'll go with the 4.9% in the house version, where 15 million of the 30 million (0bama's figure) were left without insurance.
Why take control of 17% of the economy? Why not just list the causes, and do some real trouble shooting, with results that don't violate the Constitution? "

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Joey Bowie wrote on Dec 24, 2009 12:17 PM:

" Our "Commander in Cheat" along with Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and all the "Democrooks" just gave the American People a good screwing. Welcome to Socialism! It's called "Change that you can believe in" from the far Left. What Constitution? "

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Anna D wrote on Dec 24, 2009 12:10 PM:

" Faceless bureaucrats in DC will now have total control over your medical life and death decisions. The corresponding British bureaucrats work for an organization called "NICE" or the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. They decide that you can't get that cancer treatment because it is too expensive or you are too old for that hip replacement. And the law they (all Democrats) just signed makes it impossible for future Congresses to eliminate the US equivalent of NICE. That's real nice. "

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robbiej wrote on Dec 24, 2009 11:53 AM:

" The comments here are as clearly partisan as the vote was. Interesting I think. It would almost be as easy, instead of leaving a comment, to indicate D or R and leave it at that. We all know the respective talking points on HCR. And that's all I'm reading here, is mainly R talking points, which seems to be normal for this newspaper. "

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VladsBack!! wrote on Dec 24, 2009 11:32 AM:

" s-p, I think you mean 10%, not 1%.

Ken, I'm sorry to hear that you have no health insurance. "

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s-plumb wrote on Dec 24, 2009 10:23 AM:

" Congratulations... the only silver lining is that we’ll all share in the misery. I didn’t think the uninformed would be happy...All liberties placed at risk to insure 1% of the population…there are better ways. "

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attlebrockton wrote on Dec 24, 2009 9:42 AM:

" www.stephenmurphy.org "

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attlebrockton wrote on Dec 24, 2009 9:32 AM:

" I heard the same thing from my Dr. he said I'll just go into a private clinic. He wrote an opinion on it on his website .If i can find it i'll post it. "

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skeptic wrote on Dec 24, 2009 9:25 AM:

" The survey is still open

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/R82Q679 "

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realist wrote on Dec 24, 2009 9:19 AM:

" We are recovering from a recession caused partly by greed partly by people who agreed to contracts they did not read and could not afford. Congress is trying to continue that tradition. I hope China has the cash to bail us out. "

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Southern View wrote on Dec 24, 2009 9:18 AM:

" This health care plan is so good that members of Congress will not be participating in it. Does that tell you all you need to know?

When I recently spoke to my cardiologist, his comment to me was that if this government take over of health care passes, he will leave the practice of medicine. I'm sure he will not be alone. So all you people out there who voted Democrat in the last election, you will soon find out how much you, your family, and all Americans will suffer as a result of that poor decision. So the next time you are very sick, try calling Senator Kerry for help with your chest pains, as the local cardiologist may no longer be there. "

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GetItRight wrote on Dec 24, 2009 9:15 AM:

" Ken, it's HAPPY HOLIDAYS, get it right. Go Dems, reform is here!!!! We did what the Republicans couldn't. Happy Holidays everyone! "

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do you get it? wrote on Dec 24, 2009 9:10 AM:

" This is not a done deal, so there is time for people to stop this by letting Washington know this is not what we want. Get out the word and over run the servers with emails to everyone and anyone that will vote on the final bill.
As someone that is self-employed and paying over $1500 a month for health insurance, I want to see some change, but more free healthcare is something I can not afford. When this state passed its healthcare bill we were told our rates would go down, mine have risen from $987 a month to over $1500. Now they want to tax me on my plan that is over $8500 a year and considered a premium plan. I think I want to give up my citizenship and become illegal alien so I can get free healthcare. "

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anavoter wrote on Dec 24, 2009 8:46 AM:

" I just hope those who support this massive overhaul will be held accountable for the outcome 3-5 years from now. This bills has major flaws:

1. It will negaitively impact those citizens who currently have healthcare and who earned thier healthcare as part of retirement.

2. It will result in higher costs ( passed on through taxes to companies) in the healthcare plans that current workers get as a benefit from thier employers.

3. The bill contains too many special deals and costs that amount to nothing more than bribes to get Senator votes.

4. It will result in cuts in Medicare ( Advantage program)and services to senior citizens. Ultimatly limitting service more on the bases of cost than clinical outcome/health.
5. The Congressional Budget Office yesterday indicated that this bill would likely add to the deficit. The numbers that were initially provided were rigged. "

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attlebrockton wrote on Dec 24, 2009 8:36 AM:

" Insurance companies employ 10's of thosands of Americans ,good jobs, white collar not labor ,work that Americans want to do ! Whyin God's name would you want to wipe them out? "

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bobfromflorida wrote on Dec 24, 2009 8:36 AM:

" I am a democrat and will never, never vote for a democrat again. I The Kennedy's can go to hell and Kerry's can go to hell. The Senate, the voice of the people, that total bullshit. Sorry dad, don't roll over in your grave. "

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kms wrote on Dec 24, 2009 8:25 AM:

" It's great everyone is going to mandated to have insurance, but what are they going to do to make health insurance affordable. Many health care plans for families are over $1500 a month. The only winners in this bill are going to be the insurance companies. "

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attlebrockton wrote on Dec 24, 2009 8:22 AM:

" yeah Ma. is great my health insurance only went from 900 to 1350 ...sweet !
small business has long taken up the slack for the govt. we've been the cow they continue to milk ..perhaps its time we prepare for the eventual. "

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ken wrote on Dec 24, 2009 8:11 AM:

" I know a lot of people (taxpayers) who are paying for the few who are benefitting. MA has had Mass Health for those who can't afford it for quite some time, without the government trying to control my life too. Now is the time to let all Health Insurance Agencies sell health insurance in every state if they wish. We need competition, but competition from those in business.

If you think government is the solution, then it is you who is the problem! "

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robbiej wrote on Dec 24, 2009 7:57 AM:

" The country is going to do what MA is already doing, it's about time. I happen to know a lot of people here in MA that are benefitting from our health care laws. "

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ken wrote on Dec 24, 2009 7:48 AM:

" For the first time in history the Federal goverment will require you to buy something, health insurance, if not you will be fined. Just one of the many ways they want to control your life. Merry Christmas. Oh should I have said Happy Holidays instead? "

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