Health care legislation remains controversial in the United States.
The Affordable Health Care Choices Act of 2009 (HR 3200) was a bill proposed in the House of Representatives to reform health care in the United States, according to Open Congress. The bill was not passed, but was superseded by the Affordable Health Care for America Act (HR 3962) which was passed by the House of Representatives in November of 2009. The similar Affordable Health Choices Act (HR 1679) was introduced to the Senate in September 2009, but it also failed to pass and ultimately a health care bill called the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act was passed and signed into law in March 2010.
Health Care Controversies
The confusion over the proposed versions of the health care bill reflects the partisan controversies and heated debates that have swirled around the whole concept of national health care in the United States, with opponents claiming the health care is "socialized medicine" which will bankrupt the government. Accusations that the health care bill made provisions for "death panels," which would put the power of deciding how much care the elderly could receive were subsequently shown to be exaggerated, according to the New York Times. Proponents pointed out that the United States is one of the very few developed nations which lacks universal healthcare. According to PBS Frontline, five other capitalist democracies have workable universal healthcare programs.
Opponenets of Health Care Bill
The failed Affordable Health Care Choices Act contained provisions for tax increases and spending cuts to reduce the increase in the federal deficit, according to the Congressional Budget Office. According to the Washington Post, Republicans have vowed to dismantle the healthcare legislation that was passed. An article in Bloomberg reports that insurance companies are opposed to the healthcare bill on the grounds that citizens will choose the public option health insurance and they will lose business.
Response to Opponents
The Congressional Budget Office reported that the public option would not harm private insurance companies since only about 11 to 12 million people would enroll in the public option. The urban Institute argues that the public option would not harm the private insurers, but would form a niche insurance market.
Health Care and Partisan Politics
Public opinion on the health care reform follows very partisan lines, with Democrats generally in favor and Republican generally opposed, according to a Gallup survey, which reports that, "The majority of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (66 percent) say they would tell their members of Congress to vote against a new healthcare reform bill. The majority of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents (59 percent) say they would tell their members to vote for a reform bill."
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