The 2010 Reforms in the House Healthcare Reform Bill

Here is a first look at the House Health Insurance reform bill that would initiate these changes in 2010! It is truly worthy of our support.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

House leadership has released this fact sheet on the key elements of the House healthcare reform bill that will begin in 2010.

House leadership has released this fact sheet on the key elements of the House healthcare reform bill that will begin in 2010 [pdf].

Among the most important of these front-loaded provision are the creation of the high risk pool, extension of COBRA benefits (which should also include some sort of subsidy program, since COBRA rates are often unaffordable, though select groups do receive assistance under the Recovery Act), upping the age that people can be covered by their parents' plans, and the increased funding for Community Health Centers are all very good starts for 2010. The most key for staunching the bleeding in our system, if you will, are the high risk pool and the Community Health Center funding. More of the uninsured will be able to get insurance through the pool and the CHCs, which are absolutely critical to providing care for the uninsured, will at least see some increased ability to do so.

A handful of the reforms will immediately address issues for Medicare beneficiaries, all solid reforms that should also provide some political help in 2010--seniors vote.

Here's the full list of what will start happening in 2010 under the bill.

1. BEGINS TO CLOSE THE MEDICARE PART D DONUT HOLE — Reduces the donut hole by $500 and institutes a 50% discount on brand-name drugs, effective January 1, 2010.

1. IMMEDIATE HELP FOR THE UNINSURED UNTIL EXCHANGE IS AVAILABLE (INTERIM HIGH-RISK POOL) — Creates a temporary insurance program until the Exchange is available for individuals who have been uninsured for several months or have been denied a policy because of pre-existing conditions.

1. BANS LIFETIME LIMITS ON COVERAGE—Prohibits health insurance companies from placing lifetime caps on coverage.

1. ENDS RESCISSIONS—Prohibits insurers from nullifying or rescinding a patient’s policy when they file a claim for benefits, except in the case of fraud.

1. EXTENDS COVERAGE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE UP TO 27TH BIRTHDAY THROUGH PARENTS’ INSURANCE— Requires health plans to allow young people through age 26 to remain on their parents’ insurance policy, at the parents’ choice.

1. ELIMINATES COST-SHARING FOR PREVENTIVE SERVICES IN MEDICARE—Eliminates co-payments for preventive services and exempts preventive services from deductibles under the Medicare program.

1. IMPROVES HELP FOR LOW-INCOME MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES—Improves the low-income protection programs in Medicare to assure more individuals are able to access this vital help.

1. PROVIDES NEW CONSUMER PROTECTIONS IN MEDICARE ADVANTAGE— Prohibits Medicare Advantage plans from charging enrollees higher cost-sharing for services in their private plan than what is charged in traditional Medicare.

1. IMMEDIATE SUNSHINE ON PRICE GOUGING—Discourages excessive price increases by insurance companies through review and disclosure of insurance rate increases.

1. CONTINUITY FOR DISPLACED WORKERS—Allows Americans to keep their COBRA coverage until the Exchange is in place and they can access affordable coverage.

1. CREATES NEW, VOLUNTARY, PUBLIC LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE PROGRAM—Creates a long-term care insurance program to be financed by voluntary payroll deductions to provide benefits to adults who become functionally disabled.

1. HELP FOR EARLY RETIREES—Creates a $10 billon fund to finance a temporary reinsurance program to help offset the costs of expensive health claims for employers that provide health benefits for retirees age 55-64.

1. COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS—Increases funding for Community Health Centers to allow for a doubling of the number of patients seen by the centers over the next 5 years.

1. INCREASING NUMBER OF PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS — Provides new investment in training programs to increase the number of primary care doctors, nurses, and public health professionals.

via The 2010 Reforms in the House Healthcare Reform Bill | PEEK | AlterNet.

Related articles by Zemanta

• The Truth about Healthcare (citizengkar.wordpress.com)


• Who's behind the attacks on a health care overhaul? (citizengkar.wordpress.com)


• Talking Points for Healthcare Reform (citizengkar.wordpress.com)


• The Return of the Welfare Queen and Open Class Warfare (citizengkar.wordpress.com)


• 7 Ways We Can Fight Back Against the Rising Fascist Threat (citizengkar.wordpress.com)


• Big Money Pulling the Strings of Protests (citizengkar.wordpress.com)


• The Ever-Expanding Exchange, or How Everyone Could Get Choice of Public Option (fdlaction.firedoglake.com)


• Howard Dean on Health-Care Bill: 'This Is Real Reform' (crooksandliars.com)


• Healthcare Debate Explodes on Twitter (huffingtonpost.com)


• Russ Feingold: What Liberals Want is a Single-Payer System (videocafe.crooksandliars.com)


• Too late for Obama to opt out (timesunion.com)


• Health-Care Reform: Democrats Brace for Next Challenge - TIME (time.com)


• Democrats Increasingly Optimistic About Public Option In Health Care Reform (themoderatevoice.com)


• Jindal gets a clue, endorses Democrats' health care reform bill (drumsnwhistles.com)


• Feingold: No Public Option "A Very Strong Reason Not To Support" A Health Care Bill (news.firedoglake.com)

Health Care Public Option: Did money talk?

Image via Wikipedia

The so-called "public option" component of health care reform died today when the Senate Finance Committee's Health Care Subdivision essentially the entire committee rejected an attempt to include it in legislation the panel is considering. Other bills circulating at the Capitol still have "public option," but Sen. Max Baucus removed it from his bill under pressure from Republicans, who considered it Socialist. The number of Democrats refusing to support the idea pretty much sinks it.The vote was 15-to-8, with Democrats Baucus, Sen. Tom Carper, Sen. Kent Conrad, Sen. Blanche Lincoln, and Sen. Bill Nelson joining all of the committee's Republicans with "no" votes.Most of the Democrats voting against the bill, were among the biggest Democratic recipients of health care cash in campaign fundraising. Coincidence? Who can say? The campaign finance system is such that one can only speculate what role it plays when legislation is considered that affects the campaign contributors. So you have to decide.

via Did money talk? | News Cut | Minnesota Public Radio.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Abstinence-only funding is still winning votes (bilerico.com)


• Huff Post: The Beginning Of The End For The Public Option (americablog.com)


• Schumer Upbeat on Public Option (politicalwire.com)


• Following the Money (mydd.com)


• Senate Finance Committee Rejects Public Option Amendments (mydd.com)


• Rockefeller Amendment Fails (talkingpointsmemo.com)


• Senate Committee Passes Quasi-Public Option Amendment (huffingtonpost.com)


• This tops them all for the moment: Grassley suggests to eliminate $7 billion a year in fees to corporate health insurance and make it up by reducing benefits to the poor (iflizwerequeen.com)

Study links 45,000 U.S. deaths to lack of insurance

It's hard to believe that this country can tolerate this scale of problem without taking action. 45000 died each year due to lack of healthcare. Healthcare debt figures into most every bankruptcy. The time for action is now!

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Nearly 45,000 people die in the United States each year -- one every 12 minutes -- in large part because they lack health insurance and can not get good care, Harvard Medical School researchers found in an analysis released on Thursday.

"We're losing more Americans every day because of inaction ... than drunk driving and homicide combined," Dr. David Himmelstein, a co-author of the study and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard, said in an interview with Reuters.

Overall, researchers said American adults age 64 and younger who lack health insurance have a 40 percent higher risk of death than those who have coverage.

[..]

The Harvard study, funded by a federal research grant, was published in the online edition of the American Journal of Public Health. It was released by Physicians for a National Health Program, which favors government-backed or "single-payer" health insurance.



An similar study in 1993 found those without insurance had a 25 percent greater risk of death, according to the Harvard group. The Institute of Medicine later used that data in its 2002 estimate showing about 18,000 people a year died because they lacked coverage.



Part of the increased risk now is due to the growing ranks of the uninsured, Himmelstein said. Roughly 46.3 million people in the United States lacked coverage in 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau reported last week, up from 45.7 million in 2007.



Another factor is that there are fewer places for the uninsured to get good care. Public hospitals and clinics are shuttering or scaling back across the country in cities like New Orleans, Detroit and others, he said.



Study co-author Dr. Steffie Woolhandler said the findings show that without proper care, uninsured people are more likely to die from complications associated with preventable diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

via Study links 45,000 U.S. deaths to lack of insurance | U.S. | Reuters.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Study Shows 45,000 Die Each Year Because Of No Insurance (alan.com)


• No health coverage tied to 45,000 deaths a year (msnbc.msn.com)


• 45,000 U.S. deaths linked to no insurance (cnn.com)


• The Uninsured: The Best and Worst States (abcnews.go.com)


• 45,000 excess deaths annually linked to lack of health insurance: Harvard study (scienceblog.com)


• Is This High Tide for Senior Finances? (usnews.com)


• Uninsured More Likely to Die, Study Finds (abcnews.go.com)


• What Being Uninsured Means (andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com)


• Most American Bankruptcies include extreme medical expenses. Kent Conrad's co-op plan won't be helping these people. (iflizwerequeen.com)


• Study Finds Medical Bills Cause Most Bankruptcies (shoppingblog.com)


• The Return of the Welfare Queen and Open Class Warfare (citizengkar.wordpress.com)

Franken Tap Dances So Fast Tea Party Can't Start!

YouTube - Franken Tap Dances So Fast Tea Party Can't Start!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/SCNs7Zpqo98&hl=en&fs=1&]

The Return of the Welfare Queen and Open Class Warfare

Michael Steele invoked class warfare in his fear mongering attempt to turn seniors against the working poor who can't afford health care by claiming the seniors will lose Medicare benefits if health care goes to the uninsured. This guy is as dishonest as anyone in the Republican Party.

Image by ajagendorf25 via Flickr

The healthcare reform debate took a rather remarkable turn last week when the Washington Post published an Op-Ed piece by Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele telling retirees that his party would fight any effort to modify the benefits they derived from the government-run Medicare program in order to offer similar benefits to others. The Op-Ed was immediately supplemented by an item on the RNC Web page trumpeting a "Seniors' Health Care Bill of Rights," similarly pledging the GOP to a to-the-death defense of Medicare benefits and procedures, allegedly under dire threat from universal health coverage.Steele's gambit mainly got attention because it was laughably in conflict with nearly a half century of Republican attacks on Medicare, and because he adopted every ludicrous made-up claim about the impact of this or that health reform bill on Medicare. In a disastrous NPR interview later in the week, the GOP chieftain had a predictably difficult time explaining why the GOP wanted to "protect" Medicare because it was so bad a program that it couldn't withstand any "raids."

[..]This should be familiar to any political observer over the age of 30 as a new version of the old "welfare wedge": the emotionally powerful conservative argument that Democrats want to use Big Government to take away the good things of life from people who have earned them and give them to people who haven't.

[..]What's most interesting, and dangerous, about the new "welfare wedge" is that it's not about poor people who don't work for a living. After all, most very poor families often already have health insurance (depending on where they live) via Medicaid, and those who don't work these days generally don't have the option of working. The target of "welfare" shouters seems to be the working poor, or middle-class minority families who are struggling to stay in the middle class.

via The return of the welfare queen | Salon.

Related articles by Zemanta

• GOP Healthcare Plan: Delay, Obstruct, Lie, Rinse, Repeat (dailykos.com)


• Michael Steele On Medicare: "a very good example of what we should not have happen" (dailykos.com)


• Yuna Shin: Is Michael Steele's Position on Health Care Reform "Nuanced" or "Clear"? Answer: The New GOP Is the Old GOP. (huffingtonpost.com)


• Steele: 'The era of apologizing for Republican mistakes of the past is now officially over' (queerty.com)


• GOP accused of health 'fear-mongering' (msnbc.msn.com)


• NPR Slices and Dices Michael Steele (talkingpointsmemo.com)


• The Republican Party Left Arlen Specter (mydd.com)


• Steele Gets Testy With NPR: Says Reporter Is Doing "A Wonderful Little Dance" (huffingtonpost.com)


• Michael Steele On Medicare (newstalgia.crooksandliars.com)


• Cognitive Dissonance (talkingpointsmemo.com)

The Truth about Healthcare

Image via Wikipedia

Lots of common sense here. Seems a bit uncommon these days of right wing propaganda filling our media sources. Here is the truth.

David Axelrod
Senior Adviser to the President

We launched www.WhiteHouse.gov/realitycheck this week to knock down the rumors and lies that are floating around the internet. You can find the information below, and much more, there. For example, we've just added a video of Nancy-Ann DeParle from our Health Reform Office tackling a viral email head on. Check it out:



8 ways reform provides security and stability to those with or without coverage

1. Ends Discrimination for Pre-Existing Conditions: Insurance companies will be prohibited from refusing you coverage because of your medical history.


2. Ends Exorbitant Out-of-Pocket Expenses, Deductibles or Co-Pays: Insurance companies will have to abide by yearly caps on how much they can charge for out-of-pocket expenses.


3. Ends Cost-Sharing for Preventive Care: Insurance companies must fully cover, without charge, regular checkups and tests that help you prevent illness, such as mammograms or eye and foot exams for diabetics.


4. Ends Dropping of Coverage for Seriously Ill: Insurance companies will be prohibited from dropping or watering down insurance coverage for those who become seriously ill.


5. Ends Gender Discrimination: Insurance companies will be prohibited from charging you more because of your gender.


6. Ends Annual or Lifetime Caps on Coverage: Insurance companies will be prevented from placing annual or lifetime caps on the coverage you receive.


7. Extends Coverage for Young Adults: Children would continue to be eligible for family coverage through the age of 26.


8. Guarantees Insurance Renewal: Insurance companies will be required to renew any policy as long as the policyholder pays their premium in full. Insurance companies won't be allowed to refuse renewal because someone became sick.

Learn more and get details: http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/health-insurance-consumer-protections/

8 common myths about health insurance reform

1. Reform will stop "rationing" - not increase it: It’s a myth that reform will mean a "government takeover" of health care or lead to "rationing." To the contrary, reform will forbid many forms of rationing that are currently being used by insurance companies.


2. We can’t afford reform: It's the status quo we can't afford. It’s a myth that reform will bust the budget. To the contrary, the President has identified ways to pay for the vast majority of the up-front costs by cutting waste, fraud, and abuse within existing government health programs; ending big subsidies to insurance companies; and increasing efficiency with such steps as coordinating care and streamlining paperwork. In the long term, reform can help bring down costs that will otherwise lead to a fiscal crisis.


3. Reform would encourage "euthanasia": It does not. It’s a malicious myth that reform would encourage or even require euthanasia for seniors. For seniors who want to consult with their family and physicians about end-of life decisions, reform will help to cover these voluntary, private consultations for those who want help with these personal and difficult family decisions.


4. Vets' health care is safe and sound: It’s a myth that health insurance reform will affect veterans' access to the care they get now. To the contrary, the President's budget significantly expands coverage under the VA, extending care to 500,000 more veterans who were previously excluded. The VA Healthcare system will continue to be available for all eligible veterans.


5. Reform will benefit small business - not burden it: It’s a myth that health insurance reform will hurt small businesses. To the contrary, reform will ease the burdens on small businesses, provide tax credits to help them pay for employee coverage and help level the playing field with big firms who pay much less to cover their employees on average.


6. Your Medicare is safe, and stronger with reform: It’s myth that Health Insurance Reform would be financed by cutting Medicare benefits. To the contrary, reform will improve the long-term financial health of Medicare, ensure better coordination, eliminate waste and unnecessary subsidies to insurance companies, and help to close the Medicare "doughnut" hole to make prescription drugs more affordable for seniors.


7. You can keep your own insurance: It’s myth that reform will force you out of your current insurance plan or force you to change doctors. To the contrary, reform will expand your choices, not eliminate them.


8. No, government will not do anything with your bank account: It is an absurd myth that government will be in charge of your bank accounts.  Health insurance reform will simplify administration, making it easier and more convenient for you to pay bills in a method that you choose.  Just like paying a phone bill or a utility bill, you can pay by traditional check, or by a direct electronic payment. And forms will be standardized so they will be easier to understand. The choice is up to you – and the same rules of privacy will apply as they do for all other electronic payments that people make.

Learn more and get details:
http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/realitycheck
http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/realitycheck/faq

8 Reasons We Need Health Insurance Reform Now

1. Coverage Denied to Millions: A recent national survey estimated that 12.6 million non-elderly adults – 36 percent of those who tried to purchase health insurance directly from an insurance company in the individual insurance market – were in fact discriminated against because of a pre-existing condition in the previous three years or dropped from coverage when they became seriously ill. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/denied_coverage/index.html


2. Less Care for More Costs: With each passing year, Americans are paying more for health care coverage. Employer-sponsored health insurance premiums have nearly doubled since 2000, a rate three times faster than wages. In 2008, the average premium for a family plan purchased through an employer was $12,680, nearly the annual earnings of a full-time minimum wage job.  Americans pay more than ever for health insurance, but get less coverage. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/hiddencosts/index.html


3. Roadblocks to Care for Women: Women’s reproductive health requires more regular contact with health care providers, including yearly pap smears, mammograms, and obstetric care. Women are also more likely to report fair or poor health than men (9.5% versus 9.0%). While rates of chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure are similar to men, women are twice as likely to suffer from headaches and are more likely to experience joint, back or neck pain. These chronic conditions often require regular and frequent treatment and follow-up care. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/women/index.html


4. Hard Times in the Heartland: Throughout rural America, there are nearly 50 million people who face challenges in accessing health care. The past several decades have consistently shown higher rates of poverty, mortality, uninsurance, and limited access to a primary health care provider in rural areas. With the recent economic downturn, there is potential for an increase in many of the health disparities and access concerns that are already elevated in rural communities. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/hardtimes


5. Small Businesses Struggle to Provide Health Coverage: Nearly one-third of the uninsured – 13 million people – are employees of firms with less than 100 workers. From 2000 to 2007, the proportion of non-elderly Americans covered by employer-based health insurance fell from 66% to 61%. Much of this decline stems from small business. The percentage of small businesses offering coverage dropped from 68% to 59%, while large firms held stable at 99%. About a third of such workers in firms with fewer than 50 employees obtain insurance through a spouse. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/helpbottomline


6. The Tragedies are Personal: Half of all personal bankruptcies are at least partly the result of medical expenses. The typical elderly couple may have to save nearly $300,000 to pay for health costs not covered by Medicare alone. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/inaction


7. Diminishing Access to Care: From 2000 to 2007, the proportion of non-elderly Americans covered by employer-based health insurance fell from 66% to 61%. An estimated 87 million people - one in every three Americans under the age of 65 - were uninsured at some point in 2007 and 2008. More than 80% of the uninsured are in working families. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/inaction/diminishing/index.html


8. The Trends are Troubling: Without reform, health care costs will continue to skyrocket unabated, putting unbearable strain on families, businesses, and state and federal government budgets. Perhaps the most visible sign of the need for health care reform is the 46 million Americans currently without health insurance - projections suggest that this number will rise to about 72 million in 2040 in the absence of reform. Learn more: http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/assets/documents/CEA_Health_Care_Report.pdf

Related articles by Zemanta

• Health Insurance Reform Reality Check (medicineandtechnology.com)


• 8 myths about health insurance reform (from the White House) (medicineandtechnology.com)


• Obama: Status Quo Will 'Double Your Health Care Costs' (blogs.wsj.com)


• Obama to channel LBJ to pass health care reform (americablog.com)