WASHINGTON (AP) _ After months spent criticizing Democrats' health
overhaul plans, House Republicans have produced a draft proposal of
their own. It's much shorter and focuses on bringing down costs
rather than extending coverage to nearly all Americans.
A 230-page draft was obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press. A
spokeswoman for Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said changes
were still being made before the bill would be finalized in time to
offer as an alternative when Democrats begin floor debate on their
bill, possibly at the end of this week.
The bill leaves out a number of the key features of the Democrats'
1,990-page legislation, such as new requirements for employers to
insure their employees and for nearly all Americans to purchase
insurance. It also doesn't block insurers from denying coverage to
people with pre-existing health conditions, as Democrats would do.
Instead, the Republican plan increases incentives for people to use
health savings accounts, caps non-economic jury awards in medical
malpractice cases at $250,000, provides various incentives to states
with the aim of driving down premium costs and allows health
insurance to be sold across state lines.
"As Leader Boehner has made clear, our proposal will focus on the
No. 1 concern of the American people _ reducing health care costs,
and we do it at a price tag our nation can afford,'' said spokeswoman
Antonia Ferrier, though Republicans have not said how much their bill
would cost.
"Our proposal will help struggling middle-class families and small
businesses by increasing access to affordable, high-quality health
care,'' Ferrier said.
Democrats immediately dismissed the Republican plan as
insubstantial.
The GOP alternative "does little to provide security and stability
to all Americans, doesn't provide insurance availability for all
Americans, does little to expand access to coverage,'' House Majority
Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told reporters.
"Ours is vastly superior and we think the American public will think
that,'' Hoyer said.
The GOP draft bill obtained by The AP was dated Monday.
House Democrats, meanwhile, were working overtime to put the
finishing touches on their 10-year, $1.2 trillion bill, which they
released last week. Leaders were trying to resolve lingering concerns
over language to bar federal funding of abortions and ensure that
illegal immigrants don't receive government health benefits.
The Republican bill includes a permanent ban on any federal funding
for abortions except in cases of rape, incest or threat to the life
of the mother, stronger language than the Democratic bill,
Hoyer predicted Tuesday that Democrats would vote within the week to
pass President Barack Obama's historic health care remake.
"I'm confident of prevailing and I'm confident of prevailing before
Veterans Day'' _ next Wednesday, Nov. 11, Hoyer told reporters. "I am
confident that we are going to pass this bill.''
Across the Capitol, senators are waiting to see the final language
and price tag on a health bill that Majority Leader Harry Reid and a
few other top officials wrote in secret. It's not clear when those
details will be available and Reid, D-Nev., may not be able to begin
debate on the issue until the week before Thanksgiving.
