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| US House backs healthcare reforms | US House backs healthcare reforms |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The US House of Representatives has backed a healthcare bill in a step towards reforms promised by President Obama, despite strong opposition. | The US House of Representatives has backed a healthcare bill in a step towards reforms promised by President Obama, despite strong opposition. |
| Passed in a narrow 220-215 vote, the bill aims to extend coverage to 36 million more Americans and provide affordable healthcare to 96%. | Passed in a narrow 220-215 vote, the bill aims to extend coverage to 36 million more Americans and provide affordable healthcare to 96%. |
| The bill now has to be reconciled with a separate Senate draft law. | The bill now has to be reconciled with a separate Senate draft law. |
| President Obama has made reform of America's healthcare system a central plank of his domestic agenda. | President Obama has made reform of America's healthcare system a central plank of his domestic agenda. |
| Correspondents say the legislation could lead to the biggest changes in American health care in decades. | |
| Before Saturday's vote, Mr Obama made a rare visit to Congress to try to persuade wavering members of his own Democratic Party to back the bill. | Before Saturday's vote, Mr Obama made a rare visit to Congress to try to persuade wavering members of his own Democratic Party to back the bill. |
| HEALTHCARE IN THE US 47 million uninsured, 25 million under-insuredHealthcare costs represent 16% of GDP, almost twice OECD average Q&A: US healthcare reform Healthcare reforms: Your views | |
| He said such opportunities came around "maybe once in a generation". | He said such opportunities came around "maybe once in a generation". |
| The bill would allow the government to sell insurance in competition with private companies and make insurers offer cover to those with pre-existing conditions. | The bill would allow the government to sell insurance in competition with private companies and make insurers offer cover to those with pre-existing conditions. |
| But this so-called "public option" had been scaled back in the wrangling that preceded the House vote. | But this so-called "public option" had been scaled back in the wrangling that preceded the House vote. |
| A Senate debate on the bill is expected in the coming days. |