Is Health Care Reform Falling Apart?

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

First the long time Democratic Senate seat of the late Edward "Ted" Kennedy in Massachusetts falls to Republican Scott Brown, denying the Senate Democrats their filibuster-busting majority. Now state Republican House and Senate members in Virginia are advancing three separate legislative bills challenging the ability of the US Congress to mandate insurance for Virginia residents. In a show of support for their Republican cohorts, several Democratic state Virginia legislative members voted to support the advancement of the Republican sponsored bills.

Are we seeing a return to “States’ Rights”, that is, rights not delegated to the federal government by the Constitution become the prerogative of the states. The 10th US Constitutional amendment states: ‘The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.’ Will other states follow Virginia’s lead in passing state legislation overriding the individual mandate imposed by the US House and Senate versions of health care reform? Will health care reform be forced to be tested in the US Supreme Court, as have other Federal mandates?

Are Americans becomingly more uncertain about the value of health care reform? A Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (http://www.rwjf.org/) poll conducted between 11/28/2009 and 12/20/2099, reported a number who are following the health care deliberations are unclear whether health care reform will be positive or negative for them personally. 49.5% in the December poll reported health care reform was ”very important” in addressing the nation’s current economic downturn. However, a significant number of respondents reported they perceived health care reform would have a negative import on them or the country:

• 33% believe health care access would be worse,
• 30.5% believe personal finances would suffer,
• 35% said the nation’s health care access would be worse, and
• 42% believe the national economy would be harmed.

How can national health care be instituted with 30% to 40% of Americans perceiving it will have a negative impact on them personally?