what you think of obama health care plan?
US President Barack Obama has launched a last-minute effort to secure approval of his landmark healthcare reforms by the House of Representatives.
Mr Obama made a rare visit to Congress to try to persuade wavering members of his own Democratic Party.
Later he urged them to "finish the job" and "answer the call of history".
The bill will extend coverage to 36m more Americans and provide affordable healthcare to 96%, supporters say. All House Republicans are opposed to it.
If the bill passes, the next step will be to reconcile it with a separate Senate bill.
Public option
President Obama has made reform of the healthcare system a central plank of his domestic agenda.
HEALTHCARE IN THE US
47 million uninsured, 25 million under-insured
Healthcare costs represent 16% of GDP, almost twice OECD average
Q&A: US healthcare reform
After private talks with lawmakers on Saturday, he said such opportunities came around "maybe once in a generation".
He added: "Even when it’s hard – especially when it’s hard. This is our moment to deliver.
"I urge members of Congress to rise to this moment – answer the call of history and vote ‘yes’ for health insurance reform for America."
There are a total of 258 Democrats in the House, but many have not committed to support the reforms.
Mr Obama needs 218 votes – more than half the 435 House seats. The New York Times said he had secured 205 votes by Friday evening and was negotiating for the other 13.
After meeting the president, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she was confident of a win.
The House debate opened on Saturday with Democrats who support it saying it was needed morally, socially and economically.
Its mainly Republican opponents say the bill is over-ambitious, creates too much government control and could be hugely damaging to the economy.
Delays?
The bill would allow the government to sell insurance in competition with private companies and make insurers offer cover to those with pre-existing conditions.
Obama makes health vote plea
But this so-called "public option" has been scaled back in the wrangling that preceded the House vote.
The Democrats have reportedly offered concessions to anti-abortion legislators to allow a vote on an amendment on whether to allow public funding for abortion programmes.
The Washington Post predicted the anti-abortion lobby would now win that amendment vote and anger abortion rights supporters within the Democratic Party.
Mississippi’s Republican Governor Haley Barbour said the bill should be "withdrawn and reworked" in favour of a more modest programme.
Although the House vote could come on Saturday, Mr Hoyer said it could be delayed to Sunday or even as late as Tuesday.
Once both the House and Senate have approved their own versions, a conference committee, made up of lawmakers from both houses, will convene to reconcile the two.
If both chambers then vote in favour of the reconciled version, it will be sent to Mr Obama for his approval, and become law.
Will you be affected by Obama’s healthcare reforms? Do you think the proposal will be approved? Are you a healthcare worker in the US? Send us your comments on the form below.
10 Responses
Obama: Why So So
05 Feb 2010
Geico Caveman
05 Feb 2010
It is stupid and will do way more harm than good if passed
Pelosi’s W
05 Feb 2010
Its one step towards more government control by the Marxist Obama Cabal is what it actually is.
Millions more will be unemployed when the Cabal in the White House dictates health care.
Rico
05 Feb 2010
Has it been voted on yet? Or are they still debating?
seacap2000
05 Feb 2010
It’s too much government. It’s going to cost way too much, more than this country can handle. It’s not necessary. It’s too divisive. The majority of the American people don’t want it. It is arrogance to shove it down the throat of the majority of the people and is contrary to the ideals of our country.
martinmagini
05 Feb 2010
I don’t believe for a minute that Obama or Pelosi cares about anyone’s health. It is a power grab. There are better ways to fix the problem. They don’t want to fix the problem.
If the public option is available, I may lose my health insurance. It is good health insurance and the public option will not cover me like my own policy does.
I hope it does not pass. If so, I hope it can be repealed in 2010. However, government rarely gives back power.
Lag Indicator
05 Feb 2010
I think the middle of a deep recession while unemployment is sky high is a very bad time to try to ram a trillion dollar piece of questionable legislation down America’s throat.
TARP, Stimulus, Health Care and any other bills that will raise the national debt are ill-timed and ill-conceived. Congress and the Administration just don’t get it. The interest alone on the national debt sends hundreds of billions of dollars out of the country every year.
Your average teenager with a borrowed credit card is infinitely more responsible than our "leaders".
Gorkbark Porkduk
05 Feb 2010
This thing will rob us of freedoms. We will be forced to spend $15,000 a year for health insurance or be sent to jail. It is the worst possible thing and will destroy the country.
This entire issue is an unconstitutional act of government – unconstitutional, pure and simple.
Cracker Jack 4
05 Feb 2010
This is not good, because this is socialism, not
good for this country!
Edgar from Socal
05 Feb 2010
im for it, i get taxed $500 plus every paycheck in taxes, we live in a country were we can spend trillions of dollars on a foreign war. we bailout banks, car companys, credit car companys etc… but we cant take care of out sick. one thing i beleive is that the health care industry is way overpriced, u have a surgery and it cost $100,000 dollars, if the goverment ran health care maybe they would moderate the prices more if they had a stake in it.
Im one who beleives that the decision on whether you live or die should depend on how much money you make, its a human right as an american. Im insured thru my job so im fine either way, but i think we should take care of our own no matter what the price.
It’s the pillar to socialized health care.
What it will do is squeeze everyone out of private health care, and everyone will be under the public option.
Once everyone is in the public option, it’s single payer.
Socialized medicine anyone?