Yes, it’s an historic achievement:

Health-care reform passed the House, quite literally, at the eleventh hour. It passed with a slim, two-vote margin. But it passed. That is more than has ever happened before. More than Truman or Nixon or Carter or Clinton managed. More than Rayburn or O’Neill or Gingrich managed. It is success, at least for this stage in the process. It is history, even, though it’s hard to sense the importance of the moment when you watch members of Congress spend the day squabbling over the true meaning of the word freedom.

Here it is, all 1,990 pages of it. It was passed by five votes (220-215).

Here is H.R. 3962, the Republicans’ alternative bill. It was defeated by 82 votes (258-176).

Here is the text of the Stupak Amendment (first posted in comments by Leonidas).

Some points of clarification for the above amendment are in order:

• The amendment forbids the use even of nonfederal funds to purchase supplementary insurance coverage for abortion services.
• The amendment places restrictions on the provision of supplemental insurance coverage for abortion services by private insurance companies (QHBP means “Qualifying Health Benefit Plan”), even if those QHBPs are not using federal funds to cover such services.
• The amendment contains exemptions for the life of the mother resulting from a physical disorder or a physical illness or a physical injury, and for pregnancy resulting from rape or incest. Life-threatening mental health conditions, as well as physical problems that a doctor determines will not result in death but will likely have serious health consequences for a woman if a pregnancy is continued, are not included.

Rayne at Firedoglake lists the 64 Democrats who, in her words, “ask[ed] for primary opponents.”

This bill does a lot of really good things. It’s strong, robust health care reform that truly deserves the word “historic.” Having said that, Scarecrow explains how it’s possible to feel thrilled and betrayed at the same time:

It’s like winning a huge battle, but half of your friends were killed or wounded.

36 million more people will be insured or become eligible for Medicaid
There will be a trillion dollars raised to help subsidize this over 10 years.
There will be multiple measures to help control the costs of Medicare
We will stop subsidizing private insurers in Medicare Advantage
Closes the donut hole
Allows Medicare negotation for drugs
Includes the seeds of a public option; lets it expand later, maybe
Prohibits denials based on prior conditions; ends rescissions except for fraud; improves loss ratios
Provides coverage for preconditions in the interim through government program (a hidden public plan)
Provides long-term care coverage (another hidden public plan)
Billions in funds more for education for doctors/nurses
Creates and funds more rural clinics
Begins dozens of health prevention programs, pilots, surveys
Creates entities to evaluate and recommend better treatment, cost saving
And on and on. — more good things, and some bad things

It’s a massive achievement, but women, mostly poor, paid an unconcionable price.

Kathy Kattenburg

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