Victory for Obama: House Approves Health Care Reform

The initiative, which is considered the largest U.S. social reform in the past 50 years, ensures health coverage to 31 million people.

The flagship project of U.S. President Barack Obama, health reform, was approved Sunday night in the House of Representatives. Therefore, the initiative is ready for the president’s signature to be converted into law. The bill passed by 219 votes in favor — three more than were need — to 212 against. Speaking in rejection along with 178 Republicans in the House were a total of 34 Democrats, members of Obama’s own party.

The initiative, rated as the greatest social reform of the past 50 years in the United States, provides coverage to 31 million of the 46 million people currently uninsured, which means that 95 percent of the U.S. population will have access to the good health care. Also, a system is being considered to control the medical insurance companies, who will raise their prices sometime this year, and thus prevent many Americans from canceling. Also, through state subsidies, lower-income families can access health care.

The reform will cost $940 billion over 10 years. Simultaneously, from its inception, as reported in a study by a committee of Congress, it will reduce the U.S. deficit by $138 billion in the same period. The health reform agenda even changed Obama’s plans, given that he immediately delayed his trip to Australia and Indonesia from Thursday to Sunday. In the end, the U.S. president decided to set the visit aside until June, hoping to help pass the bill that, according to many, won him the presidency.

Step Two

Following this vote, at the printing of this edition, Congress will proceed to rule on the second part of the reform, a bill that includes a number of amendments introduced in the House of Representatives. That bill will move to the Senate, where it could be voted on this week, but no major setbacks are expected in its approval: 51 votes are needed and the Democrats have 59 — in theory, a wide enough margin.