President Obama signs historic healthcare reform bill into law. Winners: America’s Children

Citing increased costs as one of his reasons for voting against the bill, Kentucky’s 2nd Congressional District Congressman, Brett Guthrie, demonstrated his total disregard for the health of our nation’s children.  But the U. S. House of Representatives cast a majority “Yes” vote, and the healthcare reform bill was signed into law on Tuesday, March 23, 2010 by President Obama. This bill insures America’s children can no longer be denied coverage by insurers for pre-existing conditions. The bill also stipulates that children can be covered under a parent’s policy until the child reaches age 26.  Listed below (taken from MoveOn.org) are additional initiatives outlined in the bill.

10 THINGS EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HEALTH CARE REFORM

1. Once reform is fully implemented, over 95% of Americans will have health insurance coverage, including 32 million who are currently uninsured.²

2. Health insurance companies will no longer be allowed to deny people coverage because of preexisting conditions—or to drop coverage when people become sick.³

3. Just like members of Congress, individuals and small businesses who can’t afford to purchase insurance on their own will be able to pool together and choose from a variety of competing plans with lower premiums.⁴

4. Reform will cut the federal budget deficit by $138 billion over the next ten years, and a whopping $1.2 trillion in the following ten years.⁵

5. Health care will be more affordable for families and small businesses thanks to new tax credits, subsidies, and other assistance—paid for largely by taxing insurance companies, drug companies, and the very wealthiest Americans.⁶

6. Seniors on Medicare will pay less for their prescription drugs because the legislation closes the “donut hole” gap in existing coverage.⁷

7. By reducing health care costs for employers, reform will create or save more than 2.5 million jobs over the next decade.⁸

8. Medicaid will be expanded to offer health insurance coverage to an additional 16 million low-income people.⁹

9. Instead of losing coverage after they leave home or graduate from college, young adults will be able to remain on their families’ insurance plans until age 26.¹⁰

10. Community health centers would receive an additional $11 billion, doubling the number of patients who can be treated regardless of their insurance or ability to pay.¹¹

To share this list with your friends using Facebook or Twitter, visit:

http://pol.moveon.org/healthcare/tenthings/?id=19503-5595983-CUEe43x&t=1

Sources:

1. Final vote results on motion to concur in Senate amendments to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, March 21, 2010
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2010/roll165.xml

2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11. “Affordable Health Care for America: Summary,” House Energy and Commerce Committee, March 18, 2010
http://wwwd.house.gov/akamaidocs/energycommerce/SUMMARY.pdf

4. “Insurance Companies Prosper, Families Suffer: Our Broken Health Insurance System,” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Accessed March 22, 2010
http://healthreform.gov/reports/insuranceprospers/index.html

5. “Affordable Health Care for America: Health Insurance Reform at a Glance: Revenue Provisions,” House Energy and Commerce Committee, March 18, 2010
http://wwwd.house.gov/akamaidocs/energycommerce/REVENUE.pdf

8. “New Jobs Through Better Health Care,” Center for American Progress, January 8, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=87402&id=19503-5595983-CUEe43x&t=2

9, 10. “Proposed Changes in the Final Health Care Bill,” The New York Times, March 22, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=87403&id=19503-5595983-CUEe43x&t=3

11. “Affordable Health Care for America: Health Insurance Reform at a Glance: Addressing Health and Health Care Disparities,” House Energy and Commerce Committee, March 20, 2010
http://docs.house.gov/energycommerce/DISPARITIES.pdf

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