The Foundry

After a sneak-through Saturday night vote to make Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s health care bill open for debate, the Senate comes back on Monday to decide how much more involvement the federal government will have over the private health care sector — one-sixth of the nation’s overall economy. With a record-breaking 2,074 pages, there are plenty of provisions in the Senate health care bill that most Americans probably aren’t aware of. Here are some of the highlights that Heritage has noted in the past week:

• The Senate bill breaks President Barack Obama’s promise not to impose new taxes on middle-class Americans.
• The legislation allows feds to micromanage all private health insurance plans.
• The bill creates the health exchange framework that allows for a government-run health plan to overtake the health insurance market.
• Its 20-year costs are more in the $4.9 trillion price range once you cut through the budget gimmicks.
• The Reid health bill leaves businesses, especially small businesses, out of the picture.
• The legislation’s employer and individual mandates use taxes to punish uninsured Americans and companies that hire workers from low-income families.
• The bill’s eight pages regarding abortion policies include language that fosters coverage of elective abortions and diminishes the right of insurers that don’t want to cover elective abortions.

Keep in mind this is just the initial analysis. As amendments are offered and more provisions unearthed, Americans can expect to hear about greater liberties Congress is taking with regards to the public’s health decision-making powers.