It seems beyond ironic to me that Massachusetts voters could play such a pivotal role in the passage or defeat of the proposed Health Care Reform legislation – See Martha Coakley and a Massachusetts miracle from the Washington Post and Massachusetts vote could threaten health reform from Reuters. Tomorrow, voters who have elected Democratic representatives for over 46 years AND who have lived with the ramifications of their state’s own Health Reform (passed in 2006 – see Healthcare Pricing Experiment), are now poised to elect Republican, Scott Brown to Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat. The irony continues as this could be the one Senate vote needed to break the 60-40 stronghold the Democrats currently enjoy in the Senate – which was the vote that passed Senate Bill – H.R. 3590 a few weeks ago.
Lawmakers across the country, already mindful of the mounting public opposition regarding proposed reform, will be paying very close attention to the outcome of this election – as nothing gets a politician’s attention quite like the prospect of their own reelection. It is difficult to say whether this will ultimately change the course of this debate and the legislation that comes from it. Some of the more philosophically entrenched Democrats seem to view this as another obstacle to overcome.
The election and the aftermath will be very interesting to watch, and could have significant implications for us all. We will continue to keep close tabs on this and pass along any pertinent information as it is announced. As always, don’t hesitate to call or write if you questions about how this may affect you and your company.
Benefits @ Work 