House gears up for possible health care action

As Congressional Democrats prepare to use the controversial procedural method of reconciliation on a much-debated health care reform bill, a new tactic is being considered in the House of Representatives to help pass the bil: a rule referred to as “deem-and-pass.”

By utilizing that maneuver, the House would deem the Senate bill passed without having to put it to a full vote. Using a reconciliation package to enact health care reform would require only a majority of votes, rather than the usual 60, to overcome a filibuster in the Senate.

Although Democrats hold a 253-178 majority in the House, they may still be short of the 216 votes needed for the bill’s passage, as many House Democrats have come out against the bill.

Kevin Outterson, an associate professor of law and co-director of the Health Law Program at Boston University, said Democrats’ failure to get the bill passed would showcase inadequacy on the party’s part.

“If the Democrats can’t get this done with majorities in Congress and Obama as president, then they deserve electoral disaster in November,” he said in an email. “In any event, no one expects a “bipartisan’ bill; Republicans have opposed this every step along the way.”

School of Public Health and School of Management professor Frances Miller emphasized the need for universal healthcare.

“The rising costs of health care are going to force health reform on the U.S. whether the electorate wants it or not,” she said.”The proposed legislation at least starts the process by bringing millions of people in under the insurance umbrella.”

Sargent College of Health &’ Rehabilitation Sciences junior Julianne Barlow said judging from the numerous delays in voting on the bill, she didn’t think Democrats would be able to pass it this time.

“It won’t pass,” she said. “I read that some senator said that if they had the votes, it would have already passed. I think the bill is a good idea, but they don’t have the votes to pass it.”