Hawai'i's two members of the House of Representatives voted last night for the trillion-dollar bill to transform the U.S. health care system, President Obama's major domestic priority.

U.S. Reps. Mazie Hirono and Neil Abercrombie, both Democrats, were among the 220 members supporting the bill, which passed by five votes.

"Tonight was historic," Hirono said in a news release. "This health care vote has been likened to the votes creating Social Security and Medicare, programs that the naysayers of the time called socialism, government takeover, too expensive, not necessary. ... And yet, Social Security and Medicare have significantly improved the lives of millions of Americans. So, too, will this bill."

Abercrombie also heaped praise on the bill, calling it "step one in the most momentous advance in the American people's health and well-being since President Johnson signed the Social Security Act Amendments into law in 1964 and enacted Medicare.
"I voted for health care reform because it makes health care more affordable and accessible for Hawai'i families, and it protects our Prepaid Health Care Act. We've been ahead of the rest of the country since 1974, and this legislation will not change that."

The bill provides an exemption for Hawai'i's Prepaid Health Care Act, as long as it meets or exceeds the new national standards. Hawai'i's Prepaid Health Care Act requires nearly all employers in Hawai'i to provide health insurance to employees who work at least 20 hours a week for four consecutive weeks.
It does not apply to some part-time employees, seniors on Medicare, those without health insurance, government employees, or those covered by collective bargaining agreements. Therefore, the new national legislation would apply to them, said Hirono, who wrote the House provisions that would retain Hawai'i's coverage.
"The health care reform legislation will improve the lives of millions of Americans," Abercrombie said, "those who cannot afford health insurance; those who are denied health insurance; those who have inadequate health insurance; those who are going broke to pay for health insurance."
Hirono said the fight isn't over:
"Congress at long last is taking steps to address the long-festering problem of how to make affordable health care available to all Americans without adding to our deficit," she said. "It's taken more than 60 years to get here — and the forces in support of the status quo are powerful foes indeed. They have resorted to scare tactics and outright lies to fight this bill tooth and nail. And it's not over yet."