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Health Bill Compromise Kicks Off 5-Week Battle

By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 31, 2009 8:50 PM CDT
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(Newser) – A key House committee approved a health care package tonight, kicking off a 5-week public battle on the issue and sending lawmakers home for August recess, the Washington Post reports. The 31-to-28 vote in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, fueled by a liberal–Blue Dog deal this morning, could give low-income workers greater subsidies for health insurance.

Liberal and conservative Democrats each won victories in the bill, the Los Angeles Times reports:

  • Libs: Insurers would be limited in premium increases they can impose; feds could negotiate pharmaceutical prices under Medicare.
  • Blue Dogs: More small businesses would be exempted from employer-mandated health care; fewer low-income people would qualify for subsidized coverage.
House Democrats now plan to draw on three committees' health care plans and assemble legislation for a floor vote next month.

Democratic legislators take part in health care news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, June 19, 2009.
Democratic legislators take part in health care news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, June 19, 2009.   (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif. speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, July 30,2009.
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif. speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, July 30,2009.   (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
In this May 5, 2009 file photo, Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif. speaks to reporters.
In this May 5, 2009 file photo, Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif. speaks to reporters.   (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds, File)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 6 comments
brawne
Aug 1, 2009 7:52 AM CDT
Very happy to say that while I love this site--I'm such a techno drudge that I never looked at my account. I didn't even know all your comments were there. Like I said--read a lot. Didn't even get an email address until last October. Very happy that I don't do the thumbs thing which seems to be people who don't like you. There are not many of you who have me in that column. As for Corona--56? How many from me? Shouldn't that tell you something?
JonmarkP
Aug 1, 2009 7:00 AM CDT
Reader666, you could not have said it better. If you could have said it better, you probably would have-but you didn't, so that must have been the best you could do. I think NP has no idea how dumb and gullible you are. Oh, you already said that. Children should be seam and not herd.
cognitivefilter
Aug 1, 2009 5:03 AM CDT
LOOK at henry waxman's nose !!!! is that real???

 
health care • Congress • Henry Waxman • House Energy and Commerce Committee • House

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