How Does the Universal Healthcare Bill Work?

So far the Universal Healthcare bill is passed in the House of Representatives and needs to be passed by the Senate. Soon after the bill was passed in the House of Representatives, 40 House Democrats said they would reverse their vote for the Bill if the part of the bill that has restrictions on abortions is not removed. They are pushing to get rid of the Stupak Amendment which does not allow women who receive the government subsidies to pay for an abortion.

Similar to what Nancy Pelosi did in the House of Representative to passed the bill at a 220-215 vote; Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will need to do a very good job at leading a coalition in order to get the passing votes in the Senate. Majority Leader Harry Reid tries to get the bill out for discussion before Thanksgiving but it may not be able to reach the Capitol until New Years.

Afterward, the two votes will be taken into consideration in a committee and then both chambers will make a final vote in order for the Healthcare bill to pass.

The main idea of the bill is a health care reform that seeks to guarantee health care coverage to almost every Citizen of the United States. The core of the health care reform bill will require every American to have some sort of insurance or otherwise pay a fine. It also requires employers to provide coverage to all of its employees. Other components are the expansion of Medicaid so that almost everyone may get insurance and regulations on the health industry so that no one will be denied insurance because of pre-existing health conditions. Those that are unable to pay for insurance can choose the public option.

Those that oppose the universal healthcare reform bill or officially called the H.R. 3962 the Affordable Health Care for America Act said that there is a weak public option that would not help those who are unable to afford insurance. Yet, Senator Barbara Lee vows to have the final passage of the bill to include "not only a strong public option, but provisions to achieve health equity, eliminate health disparities and to limit the rate of increase for those with private plans."

Representative John Conyers echoed similar support on the public option in which he thinks will "expand coverage to 96 percent of the population and end discrimination based on pre-existing conditions."

As far as taxes are concerned, President Obama has promised to not tax families making less than 250,000 a year. In order to follow this rule, the house will rely on taxing new income tax on millionaires and the bill approved on the Senate Finance Committee will tax high end health insurance plans.

In other words, if the bill is passed, taxes will be incurred on individuals making more than $500,000 dollars and joint filers making more than $1 million. There will be taxes on insurance companies, drug, and medical manufacturing companies. The Senate bill will have a 40 percent tax on insurance premiums that exceed $8,000 a year for individuals and $21,000 a year for family plans.

Sources

"Win Some, Lose Some" Washington Post"House Democrats pass health-care bill" Alex Jones"Is the House Health Care Bill Better than Nothing?" HuffingtonPost.com Inc."Six Smart Progressive Complaints About House Health Bill" The Nation

"Black Leaders Applaud House Passage of Health Care Bill - With Public Option" The Washington Informer

"Health care issues: Tax increases for overhaul" The Associated Press