Obama unveils revised healthcare bill
23 Feb 2010
US president Barack Obama yesterday unveiled a refurbished healthcare plan, which makes coverage more affordable to the people.
The proposal comes ahead of a bipartisan White House healthcare summit scheduled on Thursday as Obama tries to rally flagging congressional and US public support for a sweeping overhaul that would tighten regulations on insurers and expand coverage to tens of millions of Americans.
The $950-billion plan posted on the White House Web site offers major help for all states by adding about $75 billion in fresh Medicaid assistance to cover the people who would be newly eligible for the programme.
It also adds extra cash for do-gooder states like New York that were already covering more people.
According to analysts, this could boost the morale of some really big opponents like New York mayor Bloomberg, who were vehemently opposing the original plan saying that it would have cost the city $1 billion a year more in Medicaid expenses.
Obama's new plan also gives more help to the middle class, with larger tax credits going higher up the income ladder, to $88,000 for a family of four.
Liberals will be less than thrilled because there is no renewed push for a public health insurance plan in the new blueprint.