Earlier this month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed its health care bill with a vote of 220-215. On Saturday, Nov. 21, the Senate prepared for debate over the legislation. According to an Associated Press news brief, the bill could have several significant changes as senators debate and propose amendments to the bill.
The news brief stated the bill would leave 12 million or more Americans uninsured, and many middle-class families would still find affording premiums a stretch even with government aid.
According to an article by the AP, the Republicans have released a bill draft, which focuses on bringing down costs and limiting malpractice lawsuits. The draft would leave out such Democrat provisions to the bill, such as new requirements for employers, and it does not block insurance from denying coverage to people with pre-existing health conditions.
Antonina LaRocca, a sophomore theatre major, and her family do not have health insurance. She said her family has to save money to pay for doctor visits. “It is bit difficult since we can only afford to put a couple hundred in savings a month, so it is not great. We get by, but if one of us gets into a horrible accident, we’d be in trouble,” she said.
Kristin Kittell, a sophomore English major, has experienced life without life insurance. “I have a medical condition that makes it really hard for me to attend class without treatment, so not having health insurance had a big impact on my education,” she said. Kittell said she had to go without treatments for her condition because she cannot afford to go to the doctor, especially as a college student. “You don’t realize how important insurance is until you do not have it,” she said.
LaRocca said she is very hopeful for the health care bill to pass. She said she thinks it would save a lot of worry.
Kittell said she thinks the health care bill might work in the short term but believes the bill is poorly researched. “National health care is great in theory, but in practice we would all pay a price,” she said.
The signature issue of the Democrat’s is to rewrite the bill to cover almost all Americans without adding to the deficit.
Kittell said she does not see how Congress could possibly construct a bill that would grant quality health care to every American while still adequately compensating doctors without leaving the financial burden to the public.
“If Congress could construct such a bill, I would be in favor of it.”
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