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Reconciliation used before for health change
The Gazette Opinion Staff
Mar. 21, 2010 12:34 am
I see nothing wrong with Congress using the procedure known as reconciliation to pass health care reform. Major health care changes have been done this way before.
In 1982, the hospice benefit was added using reconciliation. In 1997, the Children's Health Insurance program was added that way. In 1985, COBRA (the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act), the program that lets laid-off workers continue their health insurance from their jobs, was created using budget reconciliation.
Republicans have used reconciliation for major changes, too - to pass tax cuts for the wealthy.
Randy Shirir
Marion
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