Health care reform battle tops health news for 2011

Health care reform battle tops health news for 2011

By E.J. Mundell
HealthDay Reporter

While no one story dominated health news in 2011, the ongoing debate over the legality of the new health care reform law was perhaps the most polarizing, with the case now set to go to the U.S. Supreme Court early in 2012.

Supporters of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which President Obama signed into law in 2010, claim the legislation will extend coverage to 30 million Americans. But opponents labeled it an unconstitutional intrusion of government upon personal rights, especially the "individual mandate" clause that requires Americans to purchase health insurance or face fines.

Some of the law's provisions, such as allowing children to remain on their parents' plans until age 26, or prohibiting insurers from denying coverage to those with preexisting conditions, were already helping Americans in 2011. Still, a Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll conducted in March found just 22 percent of respondents supported the individual mandate clause. The U.S. Supreme Court will begin hearing arguments on the law in late March.

Thanks, E.J. Mundell, or should I say "Captain Obvious!" ?

I'm totally kidding. It just seems, well, obvious, that health care reform was at the top of the news in 2011.

Obamacare

Public Health Option

Health Reform Bill

Pre-Existing Conditions Clause

Insurance Mandates

Oops, Insurance Mandates are Unconstitutional, according to the Supreme Court

...

Yup. 2011 was all about health care, or lack thereof. It was all about the comparison between America and other countries...the United States being the only country in the western world to not offer its citizens a public health care plan, universal health coverage, socialized medicine...whatever you want to call it.

Michael Moore's "Sicko" was discussed again even though his film was grossly exaggerated. Sorry, but I just don't like the guy. He lies and sells his lies to the American people. And, P.S., he's not from Flint, Michigan!

Anyway, I digress.

Whatever side of the aisle you're rooting for, it doesn't matter. The health care debate was raging in the Capitol, the media, and at every U.S. dinner table in 2011. And the debate, as far as I can see, isn't going to go away in 2012...it'll just intensify as the presidential elections come around full swing.