Health Reform Good For the American People?

On March 22nd http://www.healthreform.gov,  an official U.S. Government Web site managed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, announced “The passage of health insurance reform legislation represents a historic victory for the American people. America’s families and businesses will not only get relief from skyrocketing health care costs but will now have more control over their health care. No longer will the insurance companies get the final say when it comes to rates and rights. ” The Reconciliation Bill, ‘‘Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation
4 Act of 2010″,  is available at

http://docs.house.gov/rules/hr4872/111_hr4872_amndsub.pdf.  This Bill was agreed to by both the Senate and House and will be signed into law by the President this week.[i] I am, probably like most Americans a little worried/ curious how things will evolved form here.  Last winter when my wife had to wait in line for six hours at the Virginia Department of Public Health on two separate occasions, for our twin daughters 14 months old to receive their H1N1 vaccination,  causes me to wonder what exactly health reform will mean for the quality and efficient  health care.  There are hidden costs of waiting in line for health care, these costs may be more then some of the more sick can endure.  Health care is partly a supply and demand problem — with something like universal health care some thought should be given to where and how we can train many new caregivers at a reasonable cost.  Forty-five thousand dollars per year for a physician (4 years), or for a physician assistant (2 years) is a large sum of money.

In summary the Bill provides:

• Under the Bill Insurance companies would be prohibited from: (1) denying coverage based on pre-existing medical conditions; (2) rescinding coverage to members who get sick; (2) creating restrictions on coverage such as lifetime and annual;  (4) making excessive profits; and (5) restricting preventative services and immunizations.

• By 2014 Americans would be required to have health insurance.  Uninsured individuals would be penalized with a tax of $95 in 2014, $325 in 2015 and $695 in 2016 and beyond.   More significantly employers who do not provide “affordable” coverage would be fined $3,000 per worker.

• New tax credits would be available under the Bill, for those whose income is below 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, a typical subsidy would be $6,000 per year.  Families with an annual income of as much as $88,000 a year could receive tax credits.

• All individuals, 16 million Americans by 2019, earning less than 133 percent of Federal Poverty Level would receive insurance through Medicaid.

It remains uncertain whether provisions requiring health coverage for all individuals will hold up to Constitutional review.  Review by the Supreme Court is almost a certainty, if the Bill becomes law.

Links of interest include the:

• Amendment to the Reconciliation Bill:  http://docs.house.gov/rules/hr4872/111_managers_hr4872.pdf
• Summary of the Reconciliation Bill: http://www.rules.house.gov/111_hr4872_secbysec.html
• Summary of the Amendment to the Reconciliation Bill: http://www.rules.house.gov/amendment_details.aspx?NewsID=4611

The Reconciliation Bill was passed by the House last night and seeks to modify the Senate Bill that will be signed into law shortly.  It contains the compromise positions required by the House for them to pass the Senate Bill.  The Reconciliation bill is not yet law and will be considered by the Senate this week.  The Kaiser Family Foundation provides a summary of the legislation as well as comparisons of the various proposals at http://kff.org/healthreform/sidebyside.cfm.

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