U.S. Democrats confident health-care bill will pass

John Whitesides

A GLANCE AT PRESIDENT OBAMA'S PROPOSAL

Cost: $940 billion over 10 years.

How many covered: 32 million uninsured. When fully phased in, 95 per cent of eligible Americans would have coverage, compared with 83 per cent today.

Insurance mandate: Almost everyone is required to be insured or else pay a fine. There is an exemption for low-income people. Takes effect in 2014.

Insurance market reforms: Starting this year, insurers would be forbidden from placing lifetime dollar limits on policies and from denying coverage to children because of pre-existing conditions.

Abortion: The proposal keeps the abortion provision in the Senate bill. No health plan would be required to offer abortion coverage.

– Associated Press

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WASHINGTON–Democrats in the House of Representatives said Saturday they had secured enough support to pass a sweeping health-care overhaul and would dump a controversial plan to avoid a direct vote on the U.S. Senate bill.

An upbeat House Democratic leader Steny Hoyer predicted victory in Sunday's vote on the biggest revamp of the $2.5 trillion (U.S.) health-care system in four decades, although even the most optimistic Democrats expected a razor-thin margin.

"Clearly, we believe we have the votes," Hoyer told reporters. "We expect we have the votes to pass the Senate bill."

House Democratic leaders spent Saturday in a whirlwind of meetings with wavering party members as they tried to nail down the 216 votes needed for final approval.

U.S. President Barack Obama travelled to Capitol Hill to rally support and urged House Democrats to "stand up" and take what he acknowledged could be a tough vote politically. "I know what pressure you are under," Obama told the Democrats. "This is one of those times where you can honestly say to yourself: `Doggone it, this is exactly why I came here.'"

Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid joined Obama at the rally and told House Democrats he had commitments from "a good majority" of the 100-member Senate to pass the changes to the health-care bill.

Under heavy Republican criticism and pressure from some Democrats, Democratic leaders backed away from a controversial proposal to pass the Senate bill, which is unpopular with House Democrats, without a direct vote.

Democratic aides said instead the House will take at least three votes Sunday – on the rule setting the process, the revisions to the Senate bill sought by House Democrats and on the Senate bill itself.

Republican critics claimed victory and said Democrats would now face a potential political backlash on both votes.

"They will have to vote on the Senate-passed bill, stuffed with tax hikes, Medicare cuts, and infamous backroom deals, and they will vote on something worse: their `fix' with more taxes, more Medicare cuts and new special deals," House Republican leader John Boehner said.

If the Senate's version of the bill is approved Sunday, it will become law once signed by Obama.

Toronto Star

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