Senate Health Care Reform Bill Released, Features Stupak Compromise

Complete text of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act by the Senate is now available online. You can download the PDF here.

Video of the presser:

$127 billion reduction in deficit. 94% coverage. Includes an opt-out public option compromise. I’m still unsure of this one. Seems like you could opt yourself right out of any cost savings by diluting the strength of the pool of insured.

One of the most contentions provisions of late has been the Stupak-Pitts Amendment in the house. A pretty good compromise is being offered on this one:

The Senate version would require at least one plan within the health insurance exchange that the bill sets up to offer a plan that covers abortion and one that doesn’t. It would also authorize the Health and Human Services Secretary to audit plans to make certain that abortion isn’t being paid for with federal dollars.