Type in the content of your page here. 1. Describe the attributes of the bills.Fill in all the cells in the following table.At a minimum provide links to your sources below the table. Improve upon the summary I have provided (remove and replace with a better, more succinct, summary and add pertinent facts to the summary). It would be nice to have the points summarized more succinctly and without quotes (but still citing a source):
HC Reform Bill
Summary
Healthcare for all?
Through mandates? universal coverage?
How will low income people afford it?
Extends coverage through
private insurance,
“public option”* or public for all?
Regulation of insurance premiums?
Regulation of insurance coverage (e.g., benefits and preexisting conditions)?
Regulation of drug prices?
Measures to safeguard quality of care?
How will it be paid for and by whom?
Measures to control overall costs?
Out-of-pocket costs for patients?
H.R.676, United States National Health Insurance Act , John Conyers (single payer)
Calls for “the creation of a universal single-payer health care system in the United States,... All medically-necessary medical care decided between doctor and patient would be paid for automatically and directly by the Government of the United States, ending the need for private insurance for such care, and probably recasting private insurance companies as supplemental coverage, to be used when non-essential care is sought.
“The national system would be paid for through taxes, which would replace insurance premiums. Advocates of single-payer healthcare, such as economist Paul Krugman, have argued that by eliminating insurance company administrative overhead, healthcare costs would be reduced sufficiently to cover the uninsured.
H.R.1200, American Health Security Act of 2009 McDermott, Feb 25, 2009 (single payer)
Provides “every U.S. resident …with health care services. It requires each participating State to establish a State health security program.”
Replaces Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, Federal Employees Health Benefits Program; and CHAMPUS.
Prohibits “the sale of health insurance in that State that duplicates benefits provided under the program.
Establishes a Quality Councilto: “(1) review and evaluate practice guidelines, standards of quality, performance measures, and medical review criteria; and (2) develop minimum competence criteria.
Establishes an Office of Primary Care and Prevention Research .
“House bill HR 1200 is nearly identical to Senate bill S 703.”
H.R.3200America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, July 2009 (House Tri-committee, Dingell; Rangel of Ways and Means;Waxman of Energy and Commerce;Miller of Education and Labor)
Expands health care coverage to Americans who are currently uninsured “by lowering the cost of health care and making the system more efficient. To that end, it includes a new government-run insurance plan (a.k.a. a public option) to compete with the private companies, a requirement that all Americans have health insurance, a prohibition on denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions and, to pay for it all, a surtax on households with an income above $350,000.”
I believe that this bill was amended to allow states to create single-payer healthcare systems if they choose to.
Yes
Mandates
Affordability Credits, Public Option
Health Insurance Exchange, private market.
Expansion of Medicaid, and Public Option Alternative
Health Benefits Advisory Committee makes recommendations to Secretary of HHS. Committee made up of Surgeon General, private members appointed by President, the Comptroller and representatives of relevant federal agencies. Within the Health Insurance Exchange teh
Health Choices Commissioner (appointed by President) has the authority to define marketing standards that qualified plans are required to meet. Commisioner must coordinate with Dept. of HHS, Dept. of Labor, and State Insureance Regulators.
Medicare and Medicaid payment cuts, surcharge on wealthy Americans, Taxes on those that don't have coverage.
Prohibits cost sharing for preventative benefits, limits annual out of pocket spending in the essentisal benefits package to $5,000 for an individual and $10,000 for a family.
S.703 American Health Security Act of 2009 (single payer, Sanders)
Covers all …Americans who currently lack coverage and improve benefits …by eliminating co-pays and deductibles… Patients could seek care from a doctor or hospital of their choice under a federally funded plan administered by the states.
Eliminates the role of private health insurance companies. By eliminating the high overhead and profits of the insurance industry and the paperwork by providers, at supporters estimate a savings of $400 billion annually – “enough money to provide comprehensive, quality care to all.“
Paid for by “combining current sources of government health spending into a single fund with modest new taxes amounting to less than what people now pay for insurance premiums and out-of-pocket expenses. “
Includes: ·Comprehensive benefits, including coverage for dental, mental health, and prescription drugs. ·Full funding of Community health centers, increasing rural and underserved areas access to care. ·Resources to train an additional 24,000 health professionals.
S.1679, Affordable Health Choices Act. (Senate Health Committee)
Covers everyone “but only costs $615 billion over 10 years.” There is a public option in the bill…. “Their bill would prohibit insurance companies from discriminating against pre-existing conditions. Like with the Finance bill, their bill will have plenty of mandates on insurance companies. All individuals will be required to obtain health insurance coverage. “
S.1796 October 19, 2009 (Senate Finance Committee, Baucus),
Requires nearly all Americans to purchase insurance. “The bill includes consumer protections such as limits on co-pays and deductibles and relies on federal subsidies to help lower-income families purchase coverage. Insurance companies would have to take all comers, and people could shop for insurance within new state marketplaces called exchanges.
“Medicaid would be expanded, and though employers wouldn't be required to cover their workers, they'd have to pay a penalty for each employee who sought insurance with government subsidies. The bill is paid for by cuts to Medicare providers and new taxes on insurance companies and others.
“Unlike the other health care bills in Congress, Baucus' would not allow the government to sell insurance in competition with private companies…
“Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) pointed out some middle-income families would have to spend $13,000 on health care before qualifying for subsidies. …
“The bill would leave about 25 million uninsured by 2019, the CBO estimates.
“Last-minute changes made subsidies more generous and softened the penalties for those who don't comply with the proposed new mandate for everyone to buy insurance….
1. Describe the attributes of the bills. Fill in all the cells in the following table. At a minimum provide links to your sources below the table. Improve upon the summary I have provided (remove and replace with a better, more succinct, summary and add pertinent facts to the summary). It would be nice to have the points summarized more succinctly and without quotes (but still citing a source):
HC Reform Bill
Summary
Healthcare for all?
Through mandates? universal coverage?
How will low income people afford it?
private insurance,
“public option”* or public for all?
Regulation of insurance premiums?
Regulation of drug prices?
Measures to safeguard quality of care?
How will it be paid for and by whom?
Measures to control overall costs?
Out-of-pocket costs for patients?
“The national system would be paid for through taxes, which would replace insurance premiums. Advocates of single-payer healthcare, such as economist Paul Krugman, have argued that by eliminating insurance company administrative overhead, healthcare costs would be reduced sufficiently to cover the uninsured.
Replaces Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, Federal Employees Health Benefits Program; and CHAMPUS.
Prohibits “the sale of health insurance in that State that duplicates benefits provided under the program.
Establishes a Quality Council to: “(1) review and evaluate practice guidelines, standards of quality, performance measures, and medical review criteria; and (2) develop minimum competence criteria.
Establishes an Office of Primary Care and Prevention Research .
“House bill HR 1200 is nearly identical to Senate bill S 703.”
I believe that this bill was amended to allow states to create single-payer healthcare systems if they choose to.
Expansion of Medicaid, and Public Option Alternative
Health Choices Commissioner (appointed by President) has the authority to define marketing standards that qualified plans are required to meet. Commisioner must coordinate with Dept. of HHS, Dept. of Labor, and State Insureance Regulators.
Eliminates the role of private health insurance companies. By eliminating the high overhead and profits of the insurance industry and the paperwork by providers, at supporters estimate a savings of $400 billion annually – “enough money to provide comprehensive, quality care to all.“
Paid for by “combining current sources of government health spending into a single fund with modest new taxes amounting to less than what people now pay for insurance premiums and out-of-pocket expenses. “
Includes:
· Comprehensive benefits, including coverage for dental, mental health, and prescription drugs.
· Full funding of Community health centers, increasing rural and underserved areas access to care.
· Resources to train an additional 24,000 health professionals.
“Medicaid would be expanded, and though employers wouldn't be required to cover their workers, they'd have to pay a penalty for each employee who sought insurance with government subsidies. The bill is paid for by cuts to Medicare providers and new taxes on insurance companies and others.
“Unlike the other health care bills in Congress, Baucus' would not allow the government to sell insurance in competition with private companies…
“Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) pointed out some middle-income families would have to spend $13,000 on health care before qualifying for subsidies. …
“The bill would leave about 25 million uninsured by 2019, the CBO estimates.
“Last-minute changes made subsidies more generous and softened the penalties for those who don't comply with the proposed new mandate for everyone to buy insurance….
HR 676 summary is from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_National_Health_Care_Act
HR 1200 summary is from: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-1200
HR 3200 summary is from: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h3200/show and http://www.democrats.com/node/19873
S. 703 summary is from: http://www.laborforsinglepayer.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=92&catid=41; http://pnhp.org/blog/2009/03/27/sen-bernie-sanders-introduces-single-payer-bill/
S. 1679 summary is from: http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=20090919_compare_health_reform_bills.htm
S. 1796 summary is from: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/13/politics/main5382224.shtml?tag=contentBody;currentVideoInfo
*Note that Representative Pelosi says that there are 3 different ways to provide a public option:
“1. A "robust" public option: Medical providers would be reimbursed at Medicare rates, plus 5 percent.
2. A public option with "triggered" rates: The government would negotiate payment rates with providers, meaning the government would be "on a level playing field" with the private sector and would likely have to pay rates higher than Medicare rates. However, if costs rose to a certain point, the reimbursement rate would revert to Medicare rates plus 5 percent.
3. A public option with negotiated rates -- and also expanded Medicaid eligibility: The government would negotiate payment rates with providers, meaning the public option would not save the federal government as much money. To offset the added costs, more lower-income people would be eligible for Medicaid rather than tax credits. The current House proposal would raise Medicaid eligibility from 100 to 133 percent of the poverty line, but this compromise would expand it to 150 percent of the poverty line.”
For access to the actual bills and their summaries, and to track individual bills use this website: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/
HR 676: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-676
HR 1200: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-1200
HR 3200: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-3200
S. 703: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s111-703
S. 1679: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s111-1679
S. 1796: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s111-1796