One step closer to health care for all

The fight continues on both sides of the aisle whether the nation’s health care system will indeed be overhauled to provide health care coverage for every American.

Democrats see the need, while Republicans resist any government involvement. So, it was Senate Democrats who had reason to celebrate on Christmas Eve when its version of the health care reform bill passed 60- 39 along party lines. Still, no Republicans reportedly voted for the bill.

Opposition to the Senate bill focused primarily on removing a public option and abortion coverage language. Both the Senate and previously approved House bills have attempted to make all people happy – which seems impossible. Both bills allow private plans in an insurance exchange program to offer abortion coverage, as long as people write separate checks each month for the insurance option. Still, that doesn’t sit well for abortion-rights groups.

The House bill, on the other hand, includes a government-sponsored public option, while the Senate bill does not. Both abortion coverage and public option remain controversial issues – not to mention the $871 billion price tag estimated over a decade for the Senate bill. However, the Congressional Budget Office has said the Senate version would considerably lower the national deficit over time.

Now both bills will have to be married into one and approved – perhaps a feat not short of Moses’ attempt to reach the Promised Land.

I fail to understand the haggling that was needed to get this far in health overhaul becoming law, or why providing health care for every U.S. citizen is such a partisan issue.

I just don’t want to hear about another neighbor or part-time employee not getting the health care treatment they so desperately need because they can’t afford the cost of private insurance.

We as a country should be able to do better than that. We should be able and willing to take care of each other.

– Kelly Ruhoff

Editor