http://help.senate.gov/BAI09A84_xml.pdf

The House of Representatives has a bill: 1017 pages

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h3200ih.pdf

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From reading these two separate bills, it sounds like the Senate wants to take the system we have and augment it to get people more involved in their own health care by increasing access to clinical preventative services. It also talks about school-based clinics.* It also talks about dental health. It also proposes community based health activites.** This bill actually doesn’t sound too bad. There are still questions as to where the financing will come from and there are fine points to work on.

The House of Reps. bill, on the other hand sounds like it wants to revamp the entire system (throw the baby out with the bath water, if you will) by putting the cost of services ahead of the value of the people it is treating. This appears in several parts of their proposed bill. (see *** below) Frankly, this bill speaks of limiting our current medical options as we know them. I believe this is the bill that is causing the most controversy. For example, I think the “death panel” rumor comes from this bill page 430 lines 4-17*** where it talks about [paraphrase] if a person is apneic, pulse-less or has cardiac problems that the level of care may be full range or limited depending… There are numerous red flags with this bill.
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In any case, I urge everyone to read the bills and to contact their representatives and senators via phone, email, meetings (some are offering private meetings on their websites), etc. to let them know your thoughts and ideas. If we don’t get involved, then we will have to settle for what we get, even if we don’t like it.

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sources:
Congressman Connolly (D- Va) for the House of Rep. bill as posted on his website.

experience:
*When I was in elementary school in Minnesota in the 60’s each school had a dedicated nurse on staff who worked at that school exclusively. She recorded annual height, weight, vision and hearing in addition to dealing with daily medical needs as they arose. It would be nice if this type of care returned to our schools and not just an itinerant nurse who had to go from school to school as I observed while teaching first grade in the Washington, D.C. suburbs of Northern Virginia.

**I grew up in Minnesota in the suburbs of Minneapolis. We had abundant access to public parks and pools. There was a park, on average of every 6 miles and they often included public tennis courts, trails, basketball courts and, in winter, hockey & free public skating rinks. When I moved to the Washington, D.C. metro area in Northern Virginia from 1990 to present, I noticed there were fewer parks, nearly no public pools (95% were private HOA run pools) and less sidewalk access for citizens to pursue daily exercise. The contrast in availability and free access to parks, pools, sidewalks, tennis courts, etc. was a shock for me. To obtain this level of fitness here one was encouraged to join a club. Many families cannot afford a club. I think that promoting community based health activities could be a good thing.

***Here is a line-by-line list of issues that others have found with the House of Representatives bill:

http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2009/07/whats-in-healthacre-bill.html

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Bottom line: “We the People” will reap what we sow. If we get involved in the decision making process, then we will have a plan that is more user friendly. If we do not get involved, then we have to take what comes, even if we don’t agree with it.