Be careful what you ask for.

The House Health Care Bill passed today.  It should not have passed but it did.  One Republican voted for it and 39 Democrats voted against it but in the end it passed 220  to 215.

The Wall Street Journal calls it “the worst bill ever.”  It’s a mishmash of every health related bill the Democrats attempted during the Bush Administration but couldn’t push through.  It’s called “The Affordable Health Care for America Act” but it is so much more than that.  You can read an excellent summary by The Czar.  He bravely read all all 2000 (!) pages. Update: As noted in the comments, The Czar actually read an earlier House Health Care Bill.  Sorry for the confusion!

I think that the only substantive thing the Republicans managed to change in the bill was to severely restrict abortion funding which, according to what I’ve read, just made the bill easier for conservative Democrats to support.  Once again, Republicans get distracted from the big picture by social conservative issues.

With prescription drug coverage, the bill probably protects funding for Viagra but leaves women to find their own funding for abortion which is a medical procedure.

Now we wait to see what the Senate does with the bill.  Will they pass it as well?  Will they attempt major changes?