Author: Ryan McCarrel (4 Articles)
Ryan McCarrel is the current president of the University of Oregon College Democrats. He is a senior working towards the completion of a degree in Political Science, History, and Planning Public Policy Management. After he graduates he wants to work in conflict resolution.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
Today House Democrats unveiled their Health Care bill which includes a “robust” public option. Fueled by ressurging confidence from progressives on the left, House Democrats are moving forward with what is clearly the most comprehensive health care plan to date. Unlike the Baucus bill which leaves millions without insurance, the House bill will cover 96% of Americans extending coverage to nearly 45 million uninsured. Forcing private for-profit insurance companies to compete with a public option will reduce costs without sacrificing quality – a win-win scenario. New regulations and requirements will make insurance companies cover those with pre-existing conditions, cap out-of-pocket expenses, and protect people from being dropped when they need it most. The bill will also allow parents to keep their children on their plans until they are 26, giving us young folk time to find a job with benefits.
At first glance the price tag seems daunting coming in at an estimated $896 billion dollars, however Democratic leadership has made it clear that it won’t add to the deficit. To cover its costs the bill will raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans (those earning $500k individually, or $1 million combined), instead of taxing what have become known as “cadillac plans.” Increased tax revenue led the congressional budgeting office to predict that the bill will reduce the federal deficit by $30 million over the next 10 years.
Loading ...In an effort at transparency, Democrats have agreed to publish the 2000 page bill online for a period of 72 hours starting Monday. This means we can expect floor debate on the bill as early as next week.
The “no party” is already attempting to frame the bill as a government takeover of the health care industry, which worked early on when we were just becoming educated on the issue, but now with over 60% of Americans in full support of a public option it seems like a losing strategy. Hopefully some Republicans will have a change of heart when it comes time to vote, if not for bipartisanship, than just to prove that they’re empathetic human beings. Given the saliency of the issue if the “no party” chooses not support the bill and it’s successful, than we can expect several years of Democratic leadership on the Hill and in the White House.
