Health Care Reform

              The health care reform bill is to cover the 32 millions Americans who are currently uninsured. The cost of the bill is $940 billion over ten years. This bill would reduce the deficit by $143 billion over the first 10 years. That is an updated CBO estimate. Their first preliminary estimate said it would reduce the deficit by $130 billion over 10 years. Over the second 10 years it would reduce the deficit by $1.2 trillion dollars. Because of this health bill the uninsured and self-employed would be able to purchase insurance through state-based exchanges with subsidies available to individuals and families with income between the 133% and 400% of poverty level. Effective in 2014, seperated exchanges would be created for small businesses to purchase coverage. Funding will be available to states to establish exchanges within 1 year of enactment and until January 1st, 2015. Individuals and families who make between 100 % and 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and want to purchase their own health insurance on an exchange are eligible for subsidies. They cannot be eligible for Medicare, Medicaid and cannot be covered by an employer. Eligible buyers receive premium credits and there is a cap for how much they have to contribute to their premiums on a sliding scale. There are many other subsections of this bill but that is the general overview. There are also sections of how to pay for the plan, Medicare, Medicaid, Insurance Reforms, Abortion, Individual mandate, and immigration.
            Personally, the most important part of this reform bill is the eligibilty of being covered under my parents until my 26th birthday if I don't find a full time job right after I graduate in May. Cost- sharing is where the insurance includes deductibles, coinsurance, copayments, and similar charges, but doesn't include premiums, balance billing amounts for non-network providers, or spending for non-covered services. A qualified child is defined as under the age of 26, regardless of their student status, marital status, whether they live with their parents, or are claimed as a dependent on their parents’ tax return, as long as the dependent is not eligible to enroll in other employer provided coverage. “Children” includes natural childrend, legally adopted children, stepchildren, and children who are dependent on you during the waiting period before adoption.

http://readthebill.org/?gclid=COXX2MGRtaQCFZZM5QodACW21A
http://www.standupforhealthcare.org/learn-more/quick-facts/12-reasons-to-support-health-care?gclid=CLGm1M-RtaQCFcR05QodBVS90Q
http://www.whitehouse.gov/healthreform
http://www.healthcare.gov/
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0322/Health-care-reform-bill-101-what-the-bill-means-to-you
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20000846-503544.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/24/health/policy/24health.html
http://docs.house.gov/rules/health/111_ahcaa.pdf'
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/21/AR2010032100943.html