Tuesday night, House Republicans unveiled their version of reform in a bill proposal that would be aimed primarily at small businesses. The bill’s finer points will probably preclude ultimate passage, but leaders hope that it will be offered as an alternative when debate begins later this week or early next. Echoing the party’s talking points on reining in increased costs due to Medicare expansion, Medicare cuts, tax increases, or an “eventual taking over by the government of the physician-patient relationship”, the proposal should make for expected, yet interesting, banter during floor debate on the reform bill.

The Republican plan, which will be offered as an amendment to the Democratic bill when it is brought to the floor, also would authorize subsidies to states that reduce the annual per person premium for health insurance coverage or develop new programs that cover more of their residents over a 10-year period. The bill leaves out a number of important provisions of the Democrats’ 1,990-page bill, including new mandates for many employers to provide insurance for their employees or pay a penalty and for nearly all Americans to purchase insurance.

Perhaps what is even more absurd than the introduction of this measure at this time by the Republicans is the necessity of the Democrats (whose majority in the House has completely endorsed an infinitely more progressive version of reform) to debate it at all, amid yawns and rolled eyes. | LINK | GOP bill summary here [PDF]

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