The House passage of health care reform was neither the dawning of the Age of Aquarius nor the End of the Republic. Major legislation? No question. Does it rank with the passage of the Social Security, Medicare, Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act?
That remains to be seen.
There's much to like in some of the provisions that will take effect in the next few months, assuming Senate passage of House changes. The bill:
• Sets up a high-risk health insurance pool to provide affordable coverage for uninsured people with medical problems.
• Starting six months after enactment, it requires all health insurance plans to maintain dependent coverage for children until they turn 26 and prohibits insurers from denying coverage to children because of pre- existing health problems.
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