Comprehensive Health Care Reform
US House Introduces Revised
America's Affordable Health Choices Act
October 29, 2009 [Washington, DC] -- House Democrats released a compromise version of the healthcare reform legislation that could be voted on by the full House of Representatives within two weeks.
The latest version of the $900 billion package will provide or require healthcare coverage for an additional 36 million people who are currently uninsured.
A nationwide public option insurance plan would be offered to compete with private insurers, but without some of the cost controls to keep premiums down that were contained in the previous version .
All large employers, defined in part by the size of payrolls, would be required to offer their employees health insurance. Smaller companies with less than 100 employees would be allowed to purchase coverage through an insurance exchange.
A sliding scale of credits to help make mandatory health insurance affordable for lower income workers would be triggered when the total cost of premiums and out of pocket charges exceed a certain percentage of salary.
A complete ban on exclusion of coverage for people with pre-existing health conditions would not kick in until 2013, but a 30 day limit on the “look back” period would be effective immediately. An interim high risk pool with financial assistance would be established for those who have been without coverage for an extended period of time.
Gaps in Medicare drug coverage - the “donut hole” that kicks in when costs exceed a certain limit - would be modified and gradually closed, but complete elimination of the gap would not take place until 2019.
To help finance the cost, an income tax surcharge of 5.4% would be assessed on adjusted gross incomes in excess of $1 million for joint income taxpayers and $500,000 for single taxpayers.
Complete details of the new compromise proposal can be seen here:
LCA will continue to monitor healthcare reform legislation closely. Please stay tuned to www.lungcanceralliance.org for regular health care reform updates.
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