Health care reform for dummies
Posted on 08. Nov, 2009 by Maria Clark in Uncategorized
While the health care debate raged on, there were many, myself included, who had trouble understanding the controversial nature of the bill. For months the words “public option” were tossed at us in articles and broadcasts, but with little explanation on how they would affect the average American. Now that this bill won approval in the House, divisive as the vote may have been, I am finally getting a sense of the great impact it will have in all of our lives. In the past two days, the media has done an impressive job of bullet pointing what will change, who will have to pay the price, and what will happen if this law is broken. (That is when and if it actually becomes a law)
Yes, I finally get it!
But it would have been nice to have felt this informed while the battle was fought. I don’t think I’m alone in feeling this way. Media outlets operated under the assumption that either the general public didn’t care or were equally educated about the inticricies of health care reform.
It’s true less is more. Sometimes its as easy as bullet pointing the key points and make short clear statements. This is just so much easier to digest.
Sometimes we just need things bulletpointed and written in short clear statements like what David McClatchy did in this article:
WASHINGTON — These are some of the changes in the way health insurance would work in the United States if the House bill were to become law:
1. Creates a government-run plan, or “public option,” to offer insurance coverage to compete with private sector insurance companies.
2. Sets up health insurance “exchanges,” or marketplaces, where consumers can easily compare coverage and rates.
3. Requires nearly everyone to obtain health insurance coverage starting in 2013.
4. Ends blanket exemption for insurers from anti-trust laws.
5. Provides federal financial help for lower and middle income consumers so they can obtain coverage.
6. Bars insurers from denying or limiting coverage because of pre-existing conditions.
7. Bars insurers from imposing lifetime limits on coverage.
8. Expands Medicaid coverage to more people.
9. Imposes a 5.4 percent surcharge on adjusted gross incomes of more than $500,000 for individuals and $1 million for joint filers.
10. Imposes penalties on people and businesses who fail to comply with the new law.
Now I know what to expect!
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