Health Care Fight: What's Next – Join the Live Chat
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Tonight on 360°, what's next in the battle over health care. Pres. Obama will sign the bill into law tomorrow. But a package of changes is headed to the Senate for reconciliation, where Republicans are vowing to do whatever they can do to stop it. We've got the raw politics. Plus, remembering a pioneering CNN photojournalist. Margaret Moth, 59, was fearless to the end.
Want more details on our health care coverage? Read EVENING BUZZ
Scroll down to join the live chat during the program. It's your chance to share your thoughts on tonight's headlines. Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules.
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5) Watch your language (keep it G-rated; PG at worst - and that includes $#&*)
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If the states win a suit with the federal government over constitutionality of the health care bill, will it set a precedence that rescinds required payment into social security?
Hello Anderson! Hi Ed! Happy Monday Everyone!
@ Devin, what a great quote, but sometimes the 10% is more for the unhealthy people, like people with psychiatric disease or born with fysical disability or ...then it's more 60 what happens /40..attitude..
My heart goes to CNN crew, family, co-workers, and bosses, including Anderson, who loves Margaret Gispy Moth lost battle cancer.... She was special lady to remember her years..... I hope she will watching us over. 🙁
What ever happened to the Public Option?
Anderson,
I think this will be good for America and I think the Republicans are fearful of the Democrats looking good. Recall a couple of months ago we were talking about all the problems the Republicans have. My 2 cents
Drew
Since when are all Independent voters automatically siding with the Republicans? I am an Independent voter and I am for President Obama's health care plan.
I have a job with no health insurance and cannot afford to buy any. So, the bottom line to me isn't whether Congress can force Americans to buy health insurance, but what about those, like me, who absolutely cannot afford to buy it? I still don't understand that even though, in spirit, I support the passage of the bill.
@Cindy Jagneaux, "Is not auto insurance not required by law and are we not penalized if we don't have it."
Yeah, but people have a choice whether or not to drive. What are people supposed to do who cannot afford to buy insurance?
Auto insurance: choice. Health CARE: necessity and the need is not chosen. Health insurance: see Health CARE. If you understand the legal standards the SCOTUS is supposed to apply, you'd realize that the distinction the GOP is trying to play up here regarding choice actually makes the argument for Constitutionality stronger ("rational relation to a compelling public purpose"). What could be more compelling than the litany of problems we've heard recited and anecdoted for the past year ad nauseum?
If the republicans were so interested in health care before, why didn't they implore the insurance companies to come forward with a plan that could help everyone? Is it that their hands were too deep in certain pockets that they didn't know how to get them out?
You had attorney on saying government can't require you to buy a service. My State government requires automobile insurance to operate a vehicle.
Why are all the major media only bullet-pointing all the benefits of this health care bill now, after the fact? Where were they 3 months ago? 6 months ago? If the media had done its job and clearly reported the facts of the bill rather than just the politics all along, the majority of the country would be strongly in favor of this reform.
i am rather enjoying a lot of the comments being made about nancy pelosi. i mean, that is definitely one fearless demonstration of digging one's heels in. she said she was going to do it, and she meant business. guess the woman doesn't bluff much.
I think auto insurance should be reform. Let's hear it for the congress!
It is pathetic that this very, very poor country which is now my home, Ghana, is able to offer 100% universal coverage for a small annual fee, but the hugely rich country in which I grew up, America, is frightened to offer any sort of government help to poor people. Americans should be ashamed of themselves.
It is a glorious day in America. Although not a perfect bill, it is a long overdue beginning! It is about time that the American tax dollar is spent on the health care of every day Americans as a right and not a priviledge. Thank you to Presient Obama, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelossi, and all those who took an active part in accomplishing this goal!! I had rather see a one term President who accomplished the unbelievable rather than a two term President who just about put our country into eternal bankrupcy. However, I feel this bill and the oppostions behavior will seal President Obama's second term!
Let's move on to the next up-hil battle - campaign reform! Let's get the corporations out of the driver's seat.
@devna ac360 – i saw several tributes to Margaret today. she appears to have been one of those very special people who had a profound affect on those who knew her, as well as those of us who did not. God bless her, her work, her wonderfully positive attitude.
and God bless CNN and all of you who knew her. repects and prayers to all of you and her family.
Nobody said this bill was perfect but is a great start. To think that Republicans are using lies & scare tactics over abortion is a new low. It has taken 100 years to get anything done on healthcare so I believe the Dems have done a great job. McCain stated today he won't be working with Dems this year on anything, maybe he needs to go home & stop accepting his pay cheque. Time for Republicans to actually do something instead of making a career out of blocking everything except tax cuts for their wealthy campaign contributors.
Congratulations on passing such landmark legislation. It's unfortunate that this bill does not contain a public option because I firmly believe that the insurance companies interest is not really health, rather profit.
However, it's such a huge step forward! Looking in on the U.S. from the outside, it's extremely difficult to truly understand why health care has been such a huge issue for your country. You are the only weathly nation to not offer univerasal health care to your citizens.
From where I live, in Canada, this would simply not be tolerated by the people.
I don't understand why everyone is upset about people having healthcare.Healthcare is a right not a privilige! there is no perfect healthcare bill. besides it is a start,and it is better than nothing! where was this anger when GWB was spending on the war? and he spent billions.America please wake up!
The debate is more ideological than rational as it should be. There is no perfect health care system: the overall needs will always outrun the overall capacity to pay. So, the question is: who should have access to what care at what cost (to themselves or society as a whole)? The answer one favors depends on values and ideology, and that is why this issue is so dividing.
I heard that we will get to keep our insurance if we get sick. What happens if a get sick and lose my job. Do I get to stay with my former employer's group plan? Or is this just Cobra. How will it benefit if the monthly payment for insurance coverage are too expensive when I become unemployed due to sickness. Obviously I haven't read it and I don't yet get it.
Is there some way that states would pick up the tab somehow to cover the cost of those who don't get health insurance?
I've only heard through the grapevine that this bill will cause a lot of changes at the state level, but don't know details
@ Devna AC360, thanks for checking with your staff members on who she was, I look forward to hearing some kind comments regarding her and her work with CNN from Anderson Cooper.
I don't mind paying a little more if we can give everyone in this country access to health care. It doesn't feel like a govt takeover to me, just the right thing to do.
Health Insurance is a privelage, not a right.
Freedom is a right...so the government provides it.
If Obama wants us all to be covered......he should provide it.
Paul Begala – always a pleasure to see you on CNN – so happy to hear President Clinton's response just now and yours too!
Paul was correct on that quote!
After all, he was quoting the author, not one of the Borgias! 🙂
Although this may be a well intentioned bill, it is unfortunate that the middle class is going to be unduly taxed by this bill. In many areas of this country, the middle class includes families earning $250,000. I am still surprised at the disparity that singles can earn up to $200,000 while married families with children can only earn up to $50,000 more before being taxed. Why is Washington penalizing middle class families with this bill?
How are the Republican Senators going to positively spin their upcoming efforts to stop and obstruct the reconciliation portion of the Health with nonsensical bogus amendments forcing the Democratic Senators to vote NO on every attempt?
These states that say it is unconstitutional to make people have medical coverage make no sense to me. If that is the case then it should be the same for the auto insurance that every one is by law to have. This idea for all to have health insurance is one of the best things that can hapen. I have seen the issues with medical bills from emergency room visits or emergency surgery for some kind of reason is putting alot of people into financial hardship cause they either can not afford to get insurance or they are denied the coverage for one reason or another. I applaud our goverment for passing this as it will bring alot of help to the ones that want the medical coverage and can not get it. It will also help the over whelming cost for those that dont have any medical coverage at all. Again thank you to the goverment for passing this. One last thing for the ones that are not for this for the abortion part they really need to read it cause it says that it will not be paid for by goverment funding.
Anderson, just because government already forces us to do a lot of things does not make it right.
All this talk that socializing health care is such a bad thing and doesn't work seems ridiculous to me. VA hospitals have proven to be effective and while Medicare is not perfect no one seems to mind paying taxes to assist senior citizens. Moreover, the most successful health care system across the globe are by and large controlled by national governments, while today the most prosperous nation in the world the United States ranks in the low 30s.
I wonder how many Republicans would be in favor of the health care bill if Obama had not presented it. It seems that if Obama is for it, the Republicans are against it. The chorus seems to be stop Obama at all costs. Even the well being of fellow Americans Why?
Seeing what Dani from Mount Pocono PA says above about not having health care for 9 years is really sad. I understand that the US has a different culture where something like this is considered normal but, coming from a country that has always had free universal health care for all citizens, it really seems tragic to me. He's been completely at risk all that time to be ruined by, not only health reasons, but financial reasons as well.
I am very happy that the majority of the Democratics took a stand for the people who needed healthcare.
A lot of Republicans will not get voted back in during the next elections.
They all stuck together for their own selfish gains of making President Obama look bad, they forgot about "We the People," however we won't forget what they didn't do for us (vote for healthcare reform).
People don't forget. Our votes will count in the next elections, I am a Republican, but myself and a lot of other Republicans will vote Democratic.
Attorney Generals are sueing the government, hmmm I have not told them they could spend my money to do this.
Who pays their health insurance, hmmm that would be the tax payers, so they are doing a Tiger Woods, feeling they are entitled to health insurance paid by tax payers even when they could afford to pay for it themselves, yet they are begrudging the poorest peole in the country who really need it!!!!
It used to be when someone was paid well for doing something immoral that they called it something>>> Hmm perhaps they need to have someone tell them what that word means
Joan,
Agreed!!!!!!! 🙂
Emily,
Agree with you!!!!!!! 🙂
Health Care Bill:
Can't be denied for pre-exsisting conditions
No caps on treatment
Children can not be denied coverage
Coverage for anyone 26 and under on parents policy
Everyone must carry insurance
Insurance Companies:
Higher Premiums for all to cover additional costs!
The Republicans have been peddling falsehoods about this bill ever since this healthcare debate started. The shocking thing fro those of us watching from afar is the gullibility of those who whole-heartedly swallowed these liilles (that it is socialist medicine, that there will be illdeath committees, government take-over of health-care etc),
The Democratics have been pretty wimpy in the way they have met these lies and allowed the misinformation to fester for so long. Now that the bill has passed, maybe they will show some intestinal fortitude in challenging these false allegations and clearing the fog surrounding this legislation.
Listening to the attorney general from utah saying that is an infringement on citizens rights to mandate health care. It did not start with this bill. When the law passed that I have to wear a seat belt in my own car that I pay for and pay taxes on is exactly the same thing. That legislation said the government knows best. I agree that a seat belt gives me a better chance to live, but it is MY choice, or is it. The government says NO, it's the law and we will fine you if you don't have on a seat belt. So, Anderson we gave up our right to choose a long time ago, this is just a natural progression. If I have to wear my seat belt then everybody has to pay for health care.
@A. Smith – Margaret Moth is an inspiration to all of us at CNN, and to journalists around the world. Stay tuned to hear what Anderson has to say about Margaret.
A day to celebrate ! Finally, health care for everyone, especially the sick who've run out of insurance. I think the Republicans are irrational and ugly. They fail to recognize that health care should be a non-profit right. Do they think the sick should just roll over and die nicely so they can keep all their $$$ ??
My son's friend is elated that he can sponge off his parents healthcare for another few years if he does not get a job when he graduates this summer. He is jumping with joy.
that texas congressman should be censored or better yet tossed out of congress...there should be no room for our elected officials to act so badly....
I agree that we probably won't know the full consequences of the bill until years later. I thought the main purpose of the legislation was to make "affordable" healthcare available to all Americans. So even if we are required to carry health insurance, premiums should be much less than if we had to purchase an individual insurance plan today.
@georgia, good comment!!
What about school taxes? You must pay this tax whether you have children or not and will face the courts if you do not pay. Isn't this the same thing as the health care requirement? I think we need this care for everyone.
If we are a nation of laws rather than men, then of what effect is a presidential order that is contrary to the law?