PoliticsHealth Care ReformPoliticsHealth Care

How Barack Obama, Democrats Passed The Health Care Reform Bill: Inside Account

How Barack Obama, Democrats Passed The Health Care Reform Bill: Inside Account
By 

T.J. Ortenzi is an associate news editor at The Huffington Post.

|
Open Image Modal

When the president and his closest advisers huddled in the Oval Office last August, they had every reason to panic. Their signature piece of legislation, comprehensive health care reform, was mired in the Senate Finance Committee and the public was souring on it. Unemployment was on the march, and all this talk about preexisting conditions and insurance exchanges barely registered above the Fox News pundits screaming, "Death panel!" Suddenly, health care reform was under attack everywhere--even in the West Wing.

All week, the group had debated whether to scale back the reform effort. Now, a decision point had come...

Read more on The New Republic

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

to keep our news free for all.

Support HuffPost
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip