House Passes Health Care Bill 220-215

Hooray. The House passed the Affordable Health Care for America Act (HR 3962) late Saturday night. The Center supported the bill (More).

The bill proposes to spend $1.055 trillion to add 36 million Americans to the insurance rolls, largely paid for with a 5.4% surtax on the top 0.3% of earners and cutting Medicare Advantage programs.

It would create an exchange where small businesses and the uninsured could buy coverage, including a government-run public option. Under the bill, no insurance company could consider preexisting conditions, out-of-pocket expenses would be capped, there would be no co-pays for preventive care and the so-called "donut hole" would be closed in Medicare prescription drug coverage.

The House also voted 240-194 (Stupak Amendment) to bar federal funding of abortion in the proposed government-run health care plan. The abortion amendment bars anyone who gets federal subsidies from abortion coverage. The public option does not cover any elective abortions. (NY Daily News, 11/7/09, Photo Courtesy: Smialowski/Getty)