Washington, Dec 24 (Inditop.com) The Congressional debate on the complicated issue of US healthcare reform began in spring and continued into the summer and autumn. Here is a timeline:
Feb 4: Obama increases healthcare coverage from 7 million to 11 million children.
April-May: Healthcare reform gets rolling.
June 11: Obama tells American Medical Association (AMA) “I need your help.” AMA opposes government-run plan.
June 15: Congressional Budget Office says Senate committee proposal could cost $1 trillion and would cover only 16 million of the 46 million Americans now uninsured.
July 29: Reform moves forward as House Democrat leaders agree with fiscally conservative Democrats known as “Blue Dogs”, on negotiations that trim the bill’s cost.
July 31: The House Energy and Commerce Committee votes 31-28, largely along party lines, to pass healthcare legislation.
Aug 26: Senator Edward Kennedy, who helped draft a preliminary bill earlier in the summer to overhaul the US healthcare system in what he called “the cause of my life”, dies.
Sep 10: In a nationally televised speech to the joint sessions of Congress, Obama presents a detailed outline of a plan to provide insurance to those without coverage, and slow the growth of healthcare costs for families, businesses, and the government.
Sep 16: Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus introduces his long-awaited healthcare bill (America’s Healthy Future Act of 2009).
Sep 20: Obama continues to defend his healthcare reform efforts in back-to-back broadcasts of taped interviews on five morning news programmes.
Sep 28: Two key amendments that proposed the creation of a government-run plan are defeated in a key Senate panel vote during the markup of America’s Healthy Future Act.
Oct 13: Senate Finance Committee votes along party lines to approve its landmark healthcare bill. Senator Olympia Snowe is the sole Republican supporter.
Oct 21: Senate votes down a bill to increase Medicare payments to doctors.
Oct 26: Harry Reid, Senate Majority Leader, announces a proposal to include a public option in healthcare legislation.
Oct 30: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi proposes the inclusion of a public option in the house’s healthcare reform bill, as well as an expansion of Medicaid.
Nov 7: House passes its health bill late Saturday night, by a 220-215 margin.
Nov 21: Senate votes on a Saturday to begin full debate on major healthcare legislation.
Dec 16: Obama urges Senate Democrats to continue pushing a healthcare overhaul through before Christmas.
Dec 21: Senate votes 60-40 along party lines to end debate on its healthcare reform bill with the last of Democrat hold-outs backing the bill.
Dec 24: Senate passes the bill 60-39 on Christmas Eve.
rounak