The House of Representatives has passed H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, after a vote Saturday evening. As expected, the vote turned out along party lines, 220 to 215. Republican Rep. Joseph Cao (R-LA) joined the Democrats, while 39 Democrats opposed the measure.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said in a statement on the Speaker's web page, "I and some of my colleagues just received a call from the president...congratulating us on a great victory for the American people. I thank the president for his tremendous leadership because without President Obama in the White House, this victory would not have been possible. He provided the vision and the momentum for us to get the job done for the American people. And for that we are very, very proud -- proud of our success, proud of the members of Congress who took a very, very intense interest in the legislation -- they know what we have accomplished for the American people."

President Obama had visited Congress on Saturday to encourage support for the bill. He later remarked on the White House site after the bill passed: "The Affordable Health Care for America Act is a piece of legislation that will provide stability and security for Americans who have insurance; quality affordable options for those who don't; and bring down the cost of health care for families, businesses, and the government while strengthening the financial health of Medicare. And it is legislation that is fully paid for and will reduce our long-term federal deficit....Thanks to the hard work of the House, we are just two steps away from achieving health insurance reform in America. Now the United States Senate must follow suit and pass its version of the legislation. I am absolutely confident it will, and I look forward to signing comprehensive health insurance reform into law by the end of the year."

The key features of the bill are:
--No copays or deductibles for preventive care;
--No rate increases for pre-existing conditions, gender, or occupation;
--An annual cap on out-of-pocket expenses for insurance plans;
--Keep your doctor and/or your current plan, if you like;
--Public health insurance option competing with private insurers;
--Individuals and doctors make health care decisions;
--Individuals will be responsible for obtaining and maintaining health insurance coverage, except in hardship cases;
--More family doctors and nurses will enter the workforce
--Mental health care must be covered
--No coverage denials for pre-existing conditions
--No lifetime limits on how much insurance companies will pay

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