October 14, 2009 02:45 AM UTC

Health Care Reform Bill Passes Committee

•  
• by: Colorado Pols

From The Associated Press:

President Barack Obama says passage of legislation by a key Senate committee is “a critical milestone” toward getting a health care overhaul this year, but that “now is not the time to pat ourselves on the back.”

Obama spoke in the Rose Garden on Tuesday about two hours after the Senate Finance Committee approved its version of health care reform. Obama praised the bill but didn’t endorse it over the others that have passed other committees.

With the versions now needing to be merged, Obama cautioned against premature celebrating. He said “we are now closer than ever before” to overhauling the nation’s health care system, but that “now is the time to dig in and work even harder.”

UPDATE: Statement from the Colorado Health Care for America Now (HCAN) coalition:

While pleased that momentum is growing in Congress toward meaningful reform, today Health Care for America Now (HCAN) – the nation’s largest health care campaign…are encouraging Senators Bennet and Udall and their colleagues to ensure that large employers pay their fair share, to continue pushing for a strong public option, and to make sure that insurance is affordable for all Americans. These provisions are all included in the reform bill passed by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, on which Senator Bennet sits, and will now be merged with the Finance Committee version.

Full release follows–looks like Michael Bennet will have a prime opportunity to, uh, be the change.

SENATE FINANCE BILL HAS RIGHT DIAGNOSIS,

NEEDS BETTER PRESCRIPTION

Health Care progress continues but Finance Committee version lacks provisions for shared employer responsibility and a strong public plan

DENVER -Today the U.S. Senate Finance Committee passed legislation that moves America toward comprehensive health care reform, however, its version does not include a requirement for shared employer responsibility or a public health insurance option.

While pleased that momentum is growing in Congress toward meaningful reform, today Health Care for America Now (HCAN) – the nation’s largest health care campaign whose members include Colorado Progressive Action, AFL-CIO, SEIU, Progress Now, and others-are encouraging Senators Bennet and Udall and their colleagues to ensure that large employers pay their fair share, to continue pushing for a strong public option, and to make sure that insurance is affordable for all Americans. These provisions are all included in the reform bill passed by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, on which Senator Bennet sits, and will now be merged with the Finance Committee version

Even Wal-Mart agrees that employers should share in the responsibility. Wal-Mart CEO, Mike Duke, recently wrote in a letter to President Obama signed with the Center for American Progress and SEIU, “We are for shared responsibility. Not every business can make the same contribution, but everyone must make some contribution. We are for an employer mandate which is fair and broad in its coverage, but any alternative to an employer mandate should not create barriers to hiring entry level employees.”

According to the Commonwealth Fund, nearly 70 percent of business community leaders support enacting employer responsibility.

“We need affordable coverage and a provision that for shared responsibility for employers. As a small business owner it is harder and harder to compete against large companies who do not provide health coverage,” said Estevan Trujillo, who owns Raymond’s Painting in Denver and is a spokesperson for the HCAN coalition. “We must have affordable coverage for all Americans and good health care legislation can level the playing field and encourage employers to do the right by their employees and provide health coverage.”

###