Health Care Reform

Health Care Reform Is For Everyone The Uninsured 86.7 million non-elderly Americans were uninsured for one month or more during Workers Facing High Premiums Nationally, health insurance premiums rose 5 times faster than wages since 2000 People with High Health Care Costs 61.6 million Americans are in families that spent more than 10 percent of their pre-tax income on health care costs in 2008

Problems People Face Now Insurance companies can discriminate based on gender, age, or pre-existing conditions Low-income adults without children have few places to turn Many are left with limited options and struggle to find a plan with comprehensive benefits thats affordable

Delaying Care Because of Cost In the past 12 months, have you or another family member living in your household… because of the COST, or not? Source: Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll (conducted September 11-18, 2009) Percent saying yes Relied on home remedies or over the counter drugs instead of seeing a doctor Skipped dental care or checkups Put off or postponed getting health care you needed Skipped recommended medical test or treatment Not filled a prescription for a medicine Cut pills in half or skipped doses of medicine

Everyday Scenarios Suffering from a chronic condition? Going into business for yourself? Thinking about retiring early? What happens when your child is no longer covered under your plan?

In Your State From , family health insurance premiums for (state) workers rose X times more quickly than their median earnings X non-elderly (state) residents (Y%) were uninsured for one month or more during Under the House bill, X (state) residents will gain coverage by 2013, and by 2019, Y residents will gain coverage

Private Market Practices in Your State Availability of coverage? Premiums? Pre-existing condition limits? Revoking coverage? Enforcement of rights?

What Well Get From Reform More affordable coverage that curbs skyrocketing costs An expanded safety net Individual market reforms A new health insurance marketplace Quality health coverage standards

Making Coverage Affordable Sliding-scale subsidies Many middle-class families who struggle to afford premiums will receive assistance Limits on out-of-pocket spending Nearly two-thirds of bankruptcies are linked to medical causes

Expanding The Safety Net Increase Medicaid eligibility (including childless adults) to at least 133% of poverty ($24,352 for a family of 3 in 2009) This expansion would cover over one-third of the uninsured (more than 17 million) Currently, childless adults in 42 states cannot qualify for Medicaid unless they have a permanent disability

Eight States Leading the Way

Making Insurers Play Fair Guaranteeing value for premium dollars Health insurers will be required to spend a set portion of premiums on actually delivering care instead of administration and profit Regulating the insurance market Insurance companies will have to sell coverage to everyone who applies regardless of health status, age, gender, and pre- existing conditions

Comparing Apples to Apples… The Exchange A marketplace where people can easily compare different plans and pick the one that best suits their needs Provide subsidies to low- or moderate- income people Standard set of comprehensive benefits Disclosure of important information about cost, benefits, and the quality of their services

Why Include a Public Plan? No need to turn a profit Lower administrative costs Devote revenues to patient care Negotiating for lower prices

Improving Quality Creation and public reporting of national quality improvement measures Informed research on comparative effectiveness Improved data collection to reduce health disparities

Next Steps in the Legislative Process The Senate HELP and Finance committees must blend their bills A possible vote on the Senate floor the last week of October or first week of November Debate may last 2-3 weeks The three House bills must be combined into one bill The bill will most likely be debated on the House floor the first week of November Debate likely to last a few days

Next Steps in the Legislative Process Conference of House and Senate bills Key members of House and Senate craft a final bill This bill then goes back to each chamber for a final vote Final vote By the end of the year

How You Can Get Involved Tell your health care story Call your Members of Congress Throw a health reform house party Talk to your neighbor Write a letter to your editor Write an op-ed

More Resources For more ways to get involved, visit For more resources, see our Health Reform Tool Kit at Sign up for our Health Action Network at to receive alerts and updates