US/healthcare/reform/2009

page type::article thing type::history

About
Skyrocketing health insurance costs combined with the 2008 financial meltdown to result in many people suddenly finding themselves unable to afford health insurance.

In response to popular outcry combined with longterm dissatisfaction with the American healthcare system, the Obama-Biden administration began a push for reform in the middle months of 2009.

The proposed plans immediately came under fire from members of the political Right, who have generally become the pawns of well-funded interests of all varieties; in this case, the medical insurance industry was found to be backing many of the protests and Tea Parties".

Reform legislation -- the Affordable Care Act, also commonly referred to as Obamacare -- eventually passed in March, 2010, with absolutely no Republican support -- even though the bill was essentially identical to a Republican proposal, often referred to as "Gingrichcare" or "Romneycare", made during the Clinton-Gore administration as a counter to Clinton's proposed reforms.

The Right has continued to attack Obamacare ever since, almost always with disinformation.

Initiatives

 * 2009-07-14 US 111 HR 3200 (OpenCongress, THOMAS), "America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009", has the backing of Obama-Biden; more complex, retains option to use existing insurance plans
 * 2009-01-26 US 111 HR 676 sponsored by John Conyers, Jr. "To provide for comprehensive health insurance coverage for all United States residents, improved health care delivery, and for other purposes." Essentially makes Medicare universal; single-payer plan. Obama-Biden is not backing this bill, as Obama has apparently dropped support for single-payer, and it seems to have dropped off the radar -- which is too bad, because most people who support HR3200 would probably support HR676 even more.
 * FAQ
 * 2013-02-11 Call Congress – Single-Payer Bill to be Reintroduced
 * 2013-02-14 Conyers Reintroduces National Single-Payer Health Care Bill