Okay folks, the House Health Bill has been released. I will admit I did not read every word of it because it is 1,018 pages long. I am an amateur here with a day job so I am sure you will find far more detailed analysis of the bill from the professionals. That being said, here's what I've found:
- It would cover just about all citizens. Illegal immigrants would not be eligible for coverage. Also those who are already covered by Medicare would remain under Medicare.
- If passed it would no longer allow private insurance companies to "impose a pre existing condition exclusion...based on any health status related factors".
- Private insurers would not be able to impose "annual or lifetime limits on the coverage of covered health care items and services"
- There would be an Essential Benefits Package which would provide coverage that includes
Hospitalization coverage
Outpatient Coverage including ER
Doctor's Fees
Services, Equipment and Supplies
Prescription Drugs
Habilitative and Rehabilitative Services
Mental Health and Substance Abuse coverage
Preventive Care
Maternity Care
Well baby and Well child coverage up to age 21
including oral/vision/hearing/equipment and supplies
- There would be no cost share for preventive items
- Out of pocket maximum of $5,000 per individual and $10,000 per family.
- Individuals and families would be eligible for sliding scale subsidies up to 400 percent of the poverty level. (Currently $88,000 for a family of four).
- Employers would be required to cover employees or pay an 8 percent of payroll penalty. There are exclusions for small businesses.
- There will be a public option, or a government option. This will be phased in starting with small businesses and individuals.
- It is going to cost a small fortune but I don't think that there's much of a surprise there. According to the bill there is 2 Billion dollars set aside to set things up and pay initial claims.
Like I said, I haven't read all of it. But you can if you like, here's a
link to the bill. As my husband said, "Don't fall in love with it" This is a first step and if anything is going to happen with it it will need to be approved by both the House and Senate so changes are inevitable. But it's more than I've ever seen and it's the kind of plan that I think we need to advocate for, both for ourselves and for the American people.
Outpatient Coverage including ER
Doctor's Fees
Services, Equipment and Supplies
Prescription Drugs
Habilitative and Rehabilitative Services
Mental Health and Substance Abuse coverage
Preventive Care
Maternity Care
Well baby and Well child coverage up to age 21
including oral/vision/hearing/equipment and supplies