The passage of health care reform is a true testimony to the American spirit and our ability to adapt and triumph over the most daunting challenges. Although at times it seemed hopeless, we rolled up our sleeves, dusted ourselves off, and fought even harder. And guess what, it paid off.
- Health care reform is the law
- Thanks to all who kept pushing until it was done
On March 23rd, President Obama signed health care reform into law. By March 25, the House and Senate both passed identical follow up reconciliation bills. President Obama is sure to sign it into law.
The good health and well-being of our family members, friends, and fellow Americans is no longer an uncertainty, it’s a guarantee––providing a firm foundation for us all to pursue happiness and realize our potential. The health care hurdle, which many past generations of Americans have struggled in vain to cross, is finally behind us. People with disabilities and other pre-existing conditions and many other Americans – will soon emerge into the sunlight after decades in the dark, weathering a storm of uncertainty regarding their health, as well as skyrocketing medical bills, and getting locked out of critical therapies that would have prevented unnecessary suffering.
Now, affordable health care is a welcoming sight on the horizon. And there will be new ways for people with disabilities to break out of institutions and obtain services so they can stay in their homes, regain independence, and become active members of their communities.
Achieving health care reform required more than a village – it required millions of us all over the country who refused to accept defeat. We kept up the drum beat with our Senators and Congressmen/women for a long time. Thanks to everyone who took the fight to Washington.
And huge kudos to those Senators and Congressmen/women who refused to be intimidated by scare tactics of the opposition. Perhaps those who voted against health care reform, citing it was too much government involvement, would like to give up their very generous, highly-subsidized government-sponsored health insurance?
While I am a supporter of the health reform package and its passage is significant, it is sadly not a testimony to American spirit. From the standpoint that a significant amount of opposition made the passage of the bill an arduous and compromised task, it is clear that there is some very selfish American spirit that still needs to be addressed.
This bill represents a first step towards a society that is concerned about the well being of its citizens, but we must all consider what is required to break the barrier of selfish thought that so many in this country seem to cling to.
I think one of the things that really needs to be addressed is the fear of these changes. It would be nice if the Administration would put a website out there that answers most peoples questions. I think that even if it said that this issue or that issue is still being worked out but gave some of the possible outcomes it would still squash some of the reservations that a lot of people are having about the bill.
I see several important provisions passed in this otherwise one-sided measure. It is clear to many people (I am assuming there is more actual agreement on these points than in the overall bill) that eliminating lifetime caps, pre-existing condition exclusions and ensuring that older children up to 26 may remain on their parents plans are forward-thinking fixes to what we had before.
However, pretending that cuts in Medicare will in some way PAY for the extension of benefits to 30 million more persons is ludicrous! Its as if the Dems are willing to place their heads in the sand just to get a ‘win’ at the expense of our children’s and grand children’s fiscal futures. If you believe that one, maybe you grew up reading ‘The Emperors New Clothes’!
Tort reform is NEEDED to lower costs as well as the willingness to embrace new, more effective ways of service delivery AND the willingness to place some emphasis on greater enforcement of Medicare fraud. Enforcement is key and no one is even looking so human nature takes over and thieves abound. But, that would seem too ‘Republican’ to pass muster in this one-sided DC group!
And when Medicare is bankrupt, will they just borrow more money from China? Dou you really think that if anyone pays more taxes, that somehow it will not be passed on to consumers? What this country needs are JOBS first, then work on reigning in money spent on all social programs.
While I belive there were a few good provisions included in this bill, it will have a long lasting bad impact on our nation. We simply can’t afford this and it will continue to drive our nation deeper in debt and ultimately into a position of rationing care based on whether you are deserving. I don’t see that as a benefit to any of us who have a spinal cord injury. Rather, we need to work to ensure tort law be reformed and bring along more competition. The capitalist system does work (we’ve proven that over 200 years) but just more government and regulation stifles our economy and our country. Let’s repeal this bill!
It’s loaded with pork and is way to expensive.