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Archive for January, 2010

Many important parts of the health care reform has been discussed in length by the media. In this media frenzy, among many other things, we learned about special interest, state specific spending and pork in the bill. In the mist of political badgering there was one important provision in this senate version of the bill, that I am sure everyone would like to see.
The amendment states that Congress should have exactly the same medical coverage that they impose on the citizens of the USA. Here’s a quote from the H. R. 3590 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act:

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SEC. 1312. CONSUMER CHOICE.
(D) MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IN THE EXCHANGE.

(i) REQUIREMENT.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, after the effective date of this subtitle, the only health plans that the Federal Government may make available to Members of Congress and congressional staff with respect to their service as a Member of Congress or congressional staff shall be health plans that are:

(I) created under this Act
(II) offered through an Exchange established under this Act
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This amendment had been added by Republican Senator Tom Coburn, the Senate health committee voted 12-11 in favor of adding the provision, who used Congressman John Fleming’s two pages House Resolution 615 to add this amendment to the bill. Interestingly, both Coburn and Fleming are physicians who probably know a thing or two about health care.

The proposed Act is the Senate’s version and will be voted on by the House. As such, The House may remove this amendment from the final bill; however, you have to applaud the effort of Coburn and Fleming just to put this addition into the bill.