Late Saturday night, the U.S. House passed a sweeping health reform bill that for the first time in the nation's history would provide near-universal health insurance coverage. According to an analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the bill would extend coverage to 36 million people. The CBO also found that although the bill would cost more than $1 trillion over 10 years, it would reduce the projected federal budget deficit by $104 billion over that same period.
The bill passed on a vote of 220-215, with 39 Democrats joining all but one Republican House members in opposition.
Meanwhile, the Senate is working to consolidate reform proposals into a bill that the Senate can debate. If the Senate passes a health reform measure, the House and Senate bills would need to be reconciled prior to legislation going to the President's desk.
Read Kaiser Health News coverage of the House vote. Read a summary of the House bill. Access HFMA's payment reform resources.
