On Sunday, the United States House of Representatives voted 219 -212 in favor of the much debated healthcare reform bill. If the bill is signed into law, it could have significant implications for many of approximately 24 million people with diabetes in the U.S. and 57 million people with pre diabetes.
The bill would assure that 32 million uninsured Americans will gain health insurance. It also prevents insurance companies from denying or dropping coverage or limiting coverage based on preexisting conditions, such as diabetes, according to an article from USA Today. It also allows children to be covered under their parents’ plan up until the age of 26.
“With the passage of health reform ‘just because you have diabetes’ will no longer be a lawful excuse to deny coverage, to charge exorbitant rates, or to take away care just when a person with diabetes needs it most,” says Nash Childs, Chair of the Board, American Diabetes Association, in a prepared statement. “It gives all Americans with diabetes a fighting chance at controlling this devastating disease before they face blindness, amputation, heart disease, and kidney failure.”
Sunday’s vote paves the way for President Obama to sign most of his 10-year, $940 billion healthcare reform into law in a matter of days. The Senate needs to vote on a number of changes to the bill made by the House. The bill could potentially get sent back to the House for another vote if any part of it needs to be struck.
In the House, every single Republican and 34 Democrats voted against the bill. Democrats say the reforms will decrease the country’s deficit by $143 billion during the first decade. The reforms will reduce Medicare spending by about $500 billion, while raising taxes mostly on the wealthiest Americans. For example, a person earning more than $250,000 a year would have to pay an additional $450 in Medicare taxes, while someone earning $500,000 a year would be required to pay $2,700 more, according to an analysis by accounting firm Deloitte. Meanwhile, those making more than $1 million per year would have to pay $7,200 more and those making $5 million would see their costs increase by $43,200 per year, according to the USA Today article.
After the vote, Republican leadership in the House vowed to continue the fight against the bill, saying they would seek to repeal it next year. They predict a backlash against a number of Democratic House Representatives following their support of the bill, saying they will be voted out of office, giving Republicans greater numbers. Democrats, on the other hand, predict the changes will become more popular over time.
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