Historic Health Care Reform Legislation Signed Into Law!
On Tuesday, March 23 ANA President Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN, CNOR witnessed history as President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law. Nurses around the country should be proud of their hard work. This historic legislation benefits both the nursing profession and the patients we serve.
On Sunday, March 21, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Senate health care reform bill, H.R. 3590, “The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,” by a vote of 219-212. To see how your Representative voted on H.R. 3590, please click here. The House also voted on the “Reconciliation bill,” which made important revisions to the Senate bill by a vote of 220-211. To see how your Representative voted on H.R. 4872, please click here. Finally, President Barack Obama signed H.R. 3590 into law on Tuesday, March 23 at a ceremony held at the Sidney Yates Auditorium where ANA President Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN, CNOR was invited to hold a front row seat. The enactment of this historic legislation is an affirmation that Americans recognize the need for affordable, quality health care reform.
On Wednesday, March 24, the U.S. Senate began consideration of the Reconciliation package, H.R. 4872, officially titled, The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. Senate Republicans succeeded in challenging parts of the bill dealing with student loans. While the Senate did vote to approve H.R. 4872 on Thursday, March, 24, by a vote of 56-43, the change to the bill meant that the bill had to go back to the House for final approval. To see how your Senators voted on H.R. 4872, please click here. Late on Thursday evening, the U.S. House took the last step needed to finalize health care reform by approving H.R. 4872, the Reconciliation bill, by a vote of 220-207. To see how your Representative voted on H.R. 4872, please click here.
Over the last fifteen months, ANA has played an integral role in advocating for reform, beginning with the Presidential campaign when candidates were educated about the nursing profession. ANA also collaborated with the nursing community to outline the profession’s priorities as the House and Senate began to deliberate. Additionally, ANA testified before three key Congressional committees, met with White House and congressional health care reform staff, and took part in two presidential press conferences at the White House. Nurses were tireless advocates for reform; thousands joined ANA’s health care reform team, sending letters to their members of Congress, sharing their stories, and taking time out of their schedules to participate in rallies and events. Nurses should be proud that their hard work has paid off; both for the nursing profession and the patients they serve.
Over the coming days and weeks, ANA will be compiling additional resources summarizing both bills that have now become public law and there resources will include information regarding their impact on nursing. We know that education, both for our members and the public on what health care reform will mean for them will be vital, and that there is still a great deal of misinformation circulating that must be dispelled.
Our Health Care Reform Toolkit remains the best place to check for updated information.
ANA Government Affairs
Tags: ANA President Rebecca M. Patton, CNOR, H.R. 3590, H.R. 4872, health care reform, Health Care Reform Toolkit, March 2010, MSN, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, RN, The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010
