Well, well. Something passed the House, finally, barely.

Here's the inventory:
* Insurers are banned from rescission of customers with pre-existing conditions, as predicted. I don't know if they're banned from refusing new subscribers based on pre-existing conditions, however. They also lose their anti-trust immunity (which, frankly, I didn't even know they had to begin with).
* There's a public option! So this makes the preceding question moot, since the PO isn't going to turn anyone away on that basis - it's a federally-instituted health insurance co-op, in essence.
* There are subsidies for people with low incomes, paid for with what appears to be a tax increase on households making more than half a million dollars a year. And really, who cares about their taxes?

On the other hand:
* There's a personal and employer mandate. Everyone is required to buy some insurance. Given the existence of the PO, I can live with this. I won't have to give my money to for-profit thugs. I look forward to seeing what kind of plans the exchange will have when it gets off the ground.
* There was an amendment tacked on that prohibits the funding of abortions by PO plans or government-subsidized private plans except in the cases of rape, incest, or maternal endangerment. That's a bummer, but it's not a bad bone to throw conservatives. It was also obviously not a show-stopper.

Of course, we're not there yet. There is still the much more difficult Senate to pass, and the inevitable House/Sentate conference compromise process.

But it appears the cube has rolled onto a brand new side. It's progress. It's history. I approve.

Jiminy Jester Christ - Did I just say that about an act of Congress?