Posted on Tue, Nov. 10, 2009

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Hurdles remain for health reform

Health care reform still faces some high hurdles to becoming law, but its passage Saturday in the House of Representatives was a major achievement — hence the cheering by Democrats following the vote and the grousing by GOP lawmakers, including those in Kansas' delegation.

The House bill would require most Americans to obtain health insurance and would create a public insurance option. The bill passed 220-215, with only one GOP lawmaker voting for the reform — Rep. Joseph Cao, R-La., said he cast a vote of "conscience" to help the poor and uninsured in his district.

It was no surprise that Kansas' three GOP representatives voted against the bill. They have criticized the reform plans for months with various degrees of intensity and accuracy.

Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Hays, complained that the House bill contains "billions in cuts to Medicare, fails to reduce care costs, grows the government and explodes the deficit." Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Topeka, said the reform would "damage our economy." And Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, called the bill's passage "a moment where those who hold power in Washington showed just how callous they are to the pain and suffering of the American people."

The GOP alternative plan includes some valuable reforms that should be part of a final bill, such as limits on medical liability. But it's not a comprehensive solution that would significantly reduce the number of insured. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office concluded last week that the GOP plan would result in 6 million more people being uninsured by 2019.

One sticking point in the bill appears to have been resolved — at least temporarily. The House bill was going to prohibit federal money being used to pay for abortions but allow private money to pay for such coverage. But the House approved a complete ban on abortion coverage in federally subsidized plans.

One remaining obstacle is whether to include a public insurance option. A few Democratic senators adamantly oppose the option, even though only 2 percent of Americans are likely to choose it, according to a recent estimate.

The biggest concern about the House and Senate reform bills is that they don't do enough to control health care costs. As a result, government spending could increase significantly in future years, and businesses and individuals will continue to struggle to afford their insurance premiums.

The Senate must still approve its plan — which will require overcoming a GOP filibuster. If it passes, the House and Senate will then have to reconcile their bills.

That will be challenging — as the compromises will go too far for some lawmakers and not far enough for others. And all the while, conservative talk show hosts will continue to demagogue, hoping to disrupt the process.

But the House vote gives health care reform new momentum and increases the likelihood that it will become law by the end of this year or early next year — a prospect that only a few weeks ago seemed improbable.

— For the editorial board, Phillip Brownlee

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