As a Christmas gift to drug companies (or something), the U.S. Senate has finally, after lots of fingerpointing, death panel accusations, and calling for the demise of nonagenarian Sen. Byrd, passed a sweeping healthcare reform bill in a party-line 60-39 vote. The New York Times calls it a “reinvent[ion]” of the healthcare system. There are some great things in here, like prohibiting insurance companies from denying coverage based on an existing health condition, or dropping a client if you, uh, get sick. But just guess how many of these very reasonable suggestions to improve healthcare for LGBTs were included? Or will be included when the House passes its version?
As far as we can tell, there’s nothing in this ginormous bill about shared health benefits for same-sex couples; about prohibiting discrimination based on sexuality orientation and gender identity; or money set aside to research the specific health needs of LGBTs.
Could a bill like this ever be a panacea to America’s healthcare problems? No. We never it expected it to. And you are foolish if you thought it could. But given the bill passed with all 60 Democrats voting for it — and that being the only reason it could become law — it’s disappointing to see some of the elected officials we helped put in office once again turn their backs on the LGBT community by not demanding, or even pressing harder for, some of our needs.
(Pictured: Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-AL, who did not vote for the bill.)
How about we take this to the next level?
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Josh NYC
This in an InsuranceCare Bill. The insurance companies can shift coverage to the government for people 55 and over (the time most need health care). Everyone MUST buy insurance or pay a penalty – donut makers would love a similar law. There is no other industry that has the government requiring that we all must purchase.
The Bill is useless for us – costs go up and coverage come down. We lose, insurance companies win.
I don’t the the House is going to kill the deal.
FakeName
There are not 60 Democrats in the Senate. There are 58 Democrats, 40 Republicans and two independents who caucus with the Democrats.
Attmay
This is fascism, plain and simple.
I am calling for everyone who voted “YEA” on this to be thrown in prison.
Jon B
This is the kinda shit that always makes me want to stop reading this website. If you want to comment on this bill, there are a million ways to disect it and discuss it. However, asking where the issues that deal with LGBT people are, and getting upset that there are none is the exact same thing as the republicans shouting about how the bill allowed abortions when it didn’t even address the issue of abortions. Not everything is about you! This is about the whole country!
I’m not even for what was just passed, I think the liberal democrats should kill it, and they should start over again, but just because it doesn’t specifically address LGBT issues is no reason to criticize it in the slightest. Do gays not have preexisting medical conditions? Since we aren’t covered by our partners plans, doesn’t cheaper insurance help us out just as much if not more than it helps straight people?
STFU already Queerty. Be reasonable.
FakeName
just because it doesn’t specifically address LGBT issues is no reason to criticize it in the slightest.
Why not? If there are specific LGBT issues which should be addressed by a health bill and they aren’t, why should the bill be immune to criticism on that basis?
YellowRanger
Yes Wellpoint, there is a Santa Claus.
FakeName
Yes Wellpoint, there is a Santa Claus.
Oh, so close, but you should have gone with “Humana” to keep the same three-syllable pattern as the original.
Charles Merrill
Josh is right. The stock in Insurance Companies is soaring on Wall Street. They will be getting billions from the government to insure everyone, our tax money. And who pays taxes but get none of the benefits that hetero’s get? LGBT’s, yet we are lucky if they allow us in the hospital room to see our same sex loved one. This is why I haven’t paid income taxes since 2004. Not in prison yet. The government knows they do us wrong.
Mark_Your_Words
Insurance companies get a guaranteed market and they can shift the highest risks to the government.
The problem in America was not “insurance” – they already take 25% of every healthcare dollar, the problem was healthcare. Unless you deal with the 25% (more now) going to insurance companies, you have done NOTHING about healthcare costs.
Only insurance companies should be celebrating this legislation. Hopefully it is killed soon.
Mark_Your_Words
And, while we’re at it, let’s do something about the two main causes of healthcare costs: obesity and smoking. BOTH are preventable and simply the result of laziness and/or bad behavior.
Almost 40% of ALL healthcare costs are attributable to these two behaviors. We should create a Smokers Trust by charging a tax of $10 per pack of cigarettes and a Fat Trust with a income tax surcharge based on body fat percentage. People won’t stop these two destructive behaviors until it costs them real money.
Lady Ga-Gasp
So in other words, the congress just passed a law that doesn’t offer what most big companies already offer — the ability for registered gay dp’s to share a policy. What a drag.
Robert, NYC
This is hardly a historic bill and its a far cry from universal health care, something Obama campaigned on. I don’t like it one bit. We still remain the last western society without any universal coverage. If this bill is finalized, between 18-23 million will NOT be covered, most of whom will not be old enough to qualify for Medicare. This is nothing more than expansion of the health insurance industry with one or two prohibitions. They will circumvent the pre-existing condition inclusion by jacking up their rates to force buyers to drop coverage. The bill stinks. The pharmaceutical industry gets to keeps its price gouging tradition in tact now that importation of cheaper drugs form Canada and elsewhere is off the table. I don’t see any reform in that, in fact in none of it. Women will have to buy additional insurance to get abortion coverage and everyone will be fined as much as $750 for failing to obtain coverage, in some cases some may not be able to afford the premiums. This is health care reform? NOT!
InExile
This is not reform, this is a health care bill being passed so Barack Obama can say he passed one. A big giveaway to the drug and insurance lobby, you know the people Obama said should not have a say in our government.
Fitz
I don’t think that this bill has a chance in the house.. so this is really spitting in the wind. I am not worried about it not specifically addressing LGBT issues.. Though I do think my cohorts should strive for a LGBT doctor, if they can. Rumor has it that there are one or two health issues which hit us harder.
Brian NJ
Why would the democrats lift a single finger to protect gay families as part of the bill? They know that not enough gays will complain, as many accept the democratic party order of priorities as their own. I do not.
Wait until the notices go out to America that they have to purchase an expensive product from a private corporation or get fined by the government. Then the democrats will wish they had saved for a political rainy day by helping gay vets and families. But by that time, the LGBT community will have become so disaffected that they won’t go to polls to bail out the party.
McShane
No. 12 · InExile : You’re so right! Interestingly, as soon as the Senate bill passed, Private Insurace Company stocks zoomed up from appox $5 ea. to $30. I.e. Without a public option the whole thing is a bluff. Obama is lying about promising that kind of bill.
Keith Kimmel
Thanks for posting, Queerty. I have been so buried with work lately and issues, this one has been one that I have neglected, sadly. I wish I would have dived into the details some more and found the time to rally against this.
@ No. 3 · Jon B – Shut up, already. This is an issue I want to hear about, and quite honestly, I am tired of having the FUCKING DEMOCRATS try to keep the truth about this bill out of the ears of the people. How could you support this legislation? Its disgusting. Its an assult on our democracy. The idea of compulsary insurance is bullshit, got it?
Attmay
@16 Keith Kimmel:
The idea of insurance, compulsory or otherwise, is bullshit. Someone else paying for what you should be paying for out of pocket while you ask no questions about what it costs, and what treatments and examinations are necessary; what a racket!
U.S. Out Of My Doctor’s Office!
Daniel
It is time for the Democrats to put up or shut up on equality issues, and time for the gay community to sit out the 2010 elections for any candidate that does not push and succeed in getting pro-equality legislation passed NOW in January 2010, not some later date. We’ve been waiting 40 frickin’ years for equality. Patience is up. Dems control Congress and the White House – time to pay the piper and fulfill equal protection under law to prove this country still functions.