The Senate passed a landmark health-care bill Thursday morning that would provide coverage to more 30 million people and begin a far-reaching overhaul of Medicare and the private insurance market.
Vice President Biden presided over the 60-39, party line vote.
Thursday's vote -- which came on the first Senate session on December 24 in more than five decades -- brings Democrats closer than ever to realizing their 70-year-old goal of universal health coverage.
For the first time, most Americans would be required to obtain health insurance, either through their employer or via new, government-regulated exchanges. Those who can't afford insurance plans would receive federal subsidies. And Medicaid would be vastly expanded to reach millions of low-income children and adults. [rc]
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© Copyright 1996-2009 The Washington Post Company
December 24, 2009
USA: Senate approves landmark health-care bill
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WASHINGTON / The Washington Post / Politics / Health / December 24, 2009
By Shailagh Murray, Washington Post Staff Writer
The Senate passed a landmark health-care bill Thursday morning that would provide coverage to more 30 million people and begin a far-reaching overhaul of Medicare and the private insurance market.
Vice President Biden presided over the 60-39, party line vote.
Thursday's vote -- which came on the first Senate session on December 24 in more than five decades -- brings Democrats closer than ever to realizing their 70-year-old goal of universal health coverage.
For the first time, most Americans would be required to obtain health insurance, either through their employer or via new, government-regulated exchanges. Those who can't afford insurance plans would receive federal subsidies. And Medicaid would be vastly expanded to reach millions of low-income children and adults. [rc]
To continue reading click here
© Copyright 1996-2009 The Washington Post Company
The Senate passed a landmark health-care bill Thursday morning that would provide coverage to more 30 million people and begin a far-reaching overhaul of Medicare and the private insurance market.
Vice President Biden presided over the 60-39, party line vote.
Thursday's vote -- which came on the first Senate session on December 24 in more than five decades -- brings Democrats closer than ever to realizing their 70-year-old goal of universal health coverage.
For the first time, most Americans would be required to obtain health insurance, either through their employer or via new, government-regulated exchanges. Those who can't afford insurance plans would receive federal subsidies. And Medicaid would be vastly expanded to reach millions of low-income children and adults. [rc]
To continue reading click here
© Copyright 1996-2009 The Washington Post Company
