Content courtesy of the DNC.

Enjoy this video courtesy of the DCCC.

Brian Wahby

March 30, 2010

Last week President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law.  It took more than a year of bitter debate, but President Obama delivered on his promise to provide healthcare reform during his first term in office.  Just a few short months ago, this bill seemed to be on its last legs, but thanks to the leadership of President Obama, Speaker Pelosi and Senator Reid, Democrats have a reason to celebrate.

This historic piece of legislation will help insure and additional 32 million Americans, which represents 95% of the U.S. population, and will also cut the deficit by $1.3 trillion over the next 20 years.  The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act contains a number of provisions that will go into effect within the year.  Small businesses that provide health insurance for their employees can immediately receive tax credits covering 35% of their premiums thanks to this bill.  Seniors that fall within the dreaded Medicare Part-D donut hole are now eligible for a $250 rebate for prescription drugs.  Seniors that fall into the donut hole will also receive a 50% discount on brand name prescription drugs beginning in 2011 and this bill will completely eliminate the donut hole by 2020.  This bill will also provide free preventative care for people covered under Medicare and private insurance plans by eliminating co-pays and exempting preventative care visits from deductibles.  In plain English, this means that you can visit your primary care physician regularly, which will allow people to better manage their chronic illness and diagnose health problems early, which saves cost in the long run.

The Insurance companies that have taken advantage of consumers for years will also be held more accountable thanks to this bill.  Insurance companies will no longer be able to drop people’s coverage when they are sick and they will not be able to place lifetime caps on coverage anymore.  Additionally, insurance companies can no longer deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions.  By 2014, they will not be able to deny adults with pre-existing conditions coverage either.  Also, young adults can now stay on their parents insurance policies until their 26th birthday.  Finally, insurance companies will be required by law to spend 80 percent of premium dollars on medical services rather than hiring more people who sit in offices and create new schemes for insurance companies to avoid paying for medical care.

There are many more great provisions in this bill that I do not have space to discuss, so I would encourage you to visit www.whitehouse.gov to find out how the healthcare reform bill impacts you and your family.  It is critical that we spread the word about all the wonderful provisions in this bill.  Not a single Republican member of congress voted for healthcare reform and they have made a political decision to try to repeal the bill.  We cannot let the “Party of NO” succeed with their efforts to roll back this historic legislation, nor can we let them continue to spread lies about this bill.

In closing, I would like to thank the thousands of St. Louisans that volunteered to help pass this historic legislation.  I know many of you volunteered countless hours fighting for this bill.  Your efforts do not go unnoticed or unappreciated.  Also, thank you to Sen. McCaskill and Congressmen Clay and Carnahan for standing with the President and voting for healthcare reform.

For the first time in our nation’s history, Congress has passed comprehensive health care reform. America waited a hundred years and fought for decades to reach this moment. Tonight, thanks to you, we are finally here.

Consider the staggering scope of what you have just accomplished:

Because of you, every American will finally be guaranteed high quality, affordable health care coverage.

Every American will be covered under the toughest patient protections in history. Arbitrary premium hikes, insurance cancellations, and discrimination against pre-existing conditions will now be gone forever.

And we’ll finally start reducing the cost of care — creating millions of jobs, preventing families and businesses from plunging into bankruptcy, and removing over a trillion dollars of debt from the backs of our children.

But the victory that matters most tonight goes beyond the laws and far past the numbers.

It is the peace of mind enjoyed by every American, no longer one injury or illness away from catastrophe.

It is the workers and entrepreneurs who are now freed to pursue their slice of the American dream without fear of losing coverage or facing a crippling bill.

And it is the immeasurable joy of families in every part of this great nation, living happier, healthier lives together because they can finally receive the vital care they need.

This is what change looks like.

My gratitude tonight is profound. I am thankful for those in past generations whose heroic efforts brought this great goal within reach for our times. I am thankful for the members of Congress whose months of effort and brave votes made it possible to take this final step. But most of all, I am thankful for you.

This day is not the end of this journey. Much hard work remains, and we have a solemn responsibility to do it right. But we can face that work together with the confidence of those who have moved mountains.

Our journey began three years ago, driven by a shared belief that fundamental change is indeed still possible. We have worked hard together every day since to deliver on that belief.

We have shared moments of tremendous hope, and we’ve faced setbacks and doubt. We have all been forced to ask if our politics had simply become too polarized and too short-sighted to meet the pressing challenges of our time. This struggle became a test of whether the American people could still rally together when the cause was right — and actually create the change we believe in.

Tonight, thanks to your mighty efforts, the answer is indisputable: Yes we can.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

(Content courtesy of www.barackobama.com)