Obama's dream comes true
Barack Obama's bitterly fought US healthcare overhaul bill has finally made its difficult path through Congress, bringing with it near-universal coverage to millions of Americans. Following days, weeks and months of arguments and rivalry, the speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, confirmed on the night of 21 March that the votes to change the US healthcare landscape were in. It was a close call though - the bill was passed by 219 to 212, with every Republican opposing the bill and 34 Democrats joining them. In a late-night press conference, Obama said: "Tonight, at a time when the pundits said it was no longer possible, we rose above the weight of our politics. The legislation will not fix everything that ails our healthcare system, but it moves us decisively in the right direction." The reform, which will cost an estimated $940 billion over the next decade, expands health insurance coverage to 32 million more people, predominantly the country's poorest, and giving 95 per cent of American people access to affordable healthcare.
Barack Obama's bitterly fought US healthcare overhaul bill has finally made its difficult path through Congress, bringing with it near-universal coverage to millions of Americans. Following days, weeks and months of arguments and rivalry, the speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, confirmed on the night of 21 March that the votes to change the US healthcare landscape were in. It was a close call though - the bill was passed by 219 to 212, with every Republican opposing the bill and 34 Democrats joining them.
In a late-night press conference, Obama said: "Tonight, at a time when the pundits said it was no longer possible, we rose above the weight of our politics. The legislation will not fix everything that ails our healthcare system, but it moves us decisively in the right direction." The reform, which will cost an estimated $940 billion over the next decade, expands health insurance coverage to 32 million more people, predominantly the country's poorest, and giving 95 per cent of American people access to affordable healthcare.