Last month, history was made. The House passed a health care bill that gave the American people what they want.
In poll after poll, people want to have the choice of a public option, to keep their health care benefits untaxed, and to have affordable health care. The House bill came very close to those goals.
The Senate took its first step towards passing a health care bill. While the Senate bill includes significant reforms, it looks small in comparison with the one produced earlier in the House. And progressives are "very, very angry and disappointed."
Shortly, the two bills will head into conference. Before the final bill is sent to the President's desk, it must be fixed.
The key differences between the bills can can be broken down into two areas:
1. Make health care affordable
Low and middle income families must be able to afford health insurance if they do not get it through work, and employers must be asked to provide good health coverage for their employees so health care is affordable at work.
The House bill asks employers to pitch in, and is much more affordable for lower-income people who don't get coverage through work. The Senate bill lets employers off the hook, increasing the cost to employees for health coverage, though it is more affordable for middle-income people who don't get coverage through work.
Also, the House bill finances reform with a surtax on the richest families - those making over $1 million per year. The Senate bill finances reform by taxing middle-class health care benefits, which will only increase cost or decrease coverage for millions.
The final bill should ask employers to pitch in and share responsibility for full and part-time workers, and should make health care affordable for all incomes. And the final bill should get rid of this tax on health benefits, something President Obama ran against. Instead, the wealthiest in society who can afford to help should be asked to pitch in their fair share to pay for reform.
2. Hold insurance companies accountable
Insurance companies must be held accountable with strong regulations and consumer protections, and we mustbe given the choice of a national public health insurance option available on day one. The House bill gives us that choice.
One area we've seen the Senate bill improve upon since dropping the public option is improved insurance regulations such as the Patient's Bill of Rights. But the House bill is still stronger in many aspects. The final bill needs tough regulations and real choices, to give the American people what they want and need.
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In all of these areas, the House bill does a better job than the Senate bill of standing up for what the American people want and need. Speaker Pelosi has a document on the differences between the bills which lays things out along similar lines.
This process isn't over, not by a long shot. This what we'll need to fight for in conference. (And yes, there will be a conference.)
A new campaign has been launched called Finish Reform Right. It's based around a letter to Obama, Pelosi and Reid, telling them what must be done to get a good bill out of conference. National organizations are signing onto the letter, and we're asking the grassroots, folks like you and me, to sign on as well.
Over the last few weeks, progressives have been shocked and demoralized by the way the debate in Washington has played out. But we can't stop fighting, and we can't stop pressuring our leaders in Congress and the White House to do what's right.
A good bill, like the House bill, that does right by Americans can still be delivered to the Oval Office. Congress and the President have a choice: They can give us that good bill, or they can leave us disappointed and angry. A message to them: Choose wisely.
I'm proud to work for Health Care for America Now