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Children’s Health Care Passes The House |
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H.R. 2, the bill that will hopefully protect the health care coverage of 6 million children and extend it to 4 million more just passed the House of Representatives.
Of course, we here at Health Care for America Now are ecstatic, and we’re hoping for swift passage in the Senate as well. This is the first step towards health care for everyone.
The fact that a bill like this is even required in this country points to the desperate need for quality, affordable health care coverage for everyone. As the Los Angles Times reported today, the recession is hitting state health care programs extremely hard:
The unprecedented cuts in public assistance come as millions of Americans are losing their jobs and health insurance.
In many cases, the cuts are so deep that even the massive federal rescue package being assembled on Capitol Hill may not be enough to restore services being eliminated in the burgeoning crisis, health officials warn.
Giving health care to 10 million children will be no small feat, but it’s clearly not enough. As more people lose their jobs, and by extension, their health insurance; as premiums continue to rise to the point even those with good jobs and benefits can’t afford health care; as state budgets get squeezed tighter and tighter; more and more families will need coverage. This bill only helps some members of those families.
So, let’s pass this bill, and let’s keep move on from this piece to finishing the entire puzzle.
(also posted at the NOW! blog)
I hope it doesn’t pass the Senate until at least next Wednesday. I could see Bush slapping on a last-second veto as a parting shot.