National Health Reform: Demystified
Health reform is the hottest topic in Congress this summer, and short of climate change, it's the issue certain to have the most impact on American families. As the state with the highest uninsured rate, Texas arguably has the most to gain from national health reform.
Keep reading for bill summaries, cost estimates, timelines, and up-to-date explanations of proposed reforms and what they could mean for Texas.
Three health reform bills are currently being drafted in Congress, two in the Senate and one in the House. President Obama has urged Congress to present him with a health reform bill before Congress adjourns in October. To see a timeline of what Congress and advocates must do in order to meet the President’s deadline, Click Here.
Committee Updates: The Pulse on Health Reform
Committee Updates
Side by side comparison of all the major health care reform proposals
Senate Finance Committee
Chair: Max Baucus (D-Montana)
Status: Still debating policy options, trying to reach a bipartisan consensus.
Links:
Financing options under consideration
Coverage options under consideration
Senate HELP Committee: [Health, Education, Labor, and Pension]
Chair: Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.). Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Connecticut) has been leading in his absence
Status: Bill passed out of committee July 15 in a party line vote, 13-10.
Links:
Section by Section Bill Summary
Full Text (Not yet available)
House Tri-Committee:
House Ways and Means Committee Chair: Charles Rangel (D-NY)
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair: Henry Waxman (D-CA)
House Education and Labor Committee Chair: George Miller (D-CA)
Status: The House Tri-Committee Bill (H.B. 3200) was filed July 14. The bill passed out of Ways and Means on July 17 with a 23-18 vote, passed out of Education and Labor on July 17 with a 26-22 vote, and is still pending in Energy and Commerce.
Links:
Full Text (1018 pages)
Section by Section Analysis (38 pages)
Major changes between the discussion draft and the bill as filed (6 pages)
Helpful Resources
To follow the national health reform movement in Texas visit www.texasvoiceforhealthreform.org
Historical Timeline of Health Care Reform in America
Glossary of Key Players and Health Care Terms
Take Action:
Sign the Faith-inspired vision for health
Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper
Call your Congressmen
Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202)224-3121 and ask for your senators' and/or representative's office.
Ask to speak with the aide who works on health care reform, and let them know that you want health care reform in 2009 and that the status quo is not an option.
