1. Whitney Parker AP English Period 4

2. Health Care reform is needed in the United States for several reasons. Health care spending has continued to rise, there is a large number of individuals that are uninsured, the number of individuals eligible for Medicare is increasing, and some people are denied insurance coverage for preexisting conditions.

3. “The United States spends more money on health care than any other nation” (Stanhope and Lancaster 98). The cost of health care is increasing at a rate greater than inflation since the mid 1960’s (Stanhope and Lancaster 98). Governmental Insurance plans such as Medicare and Medicaid pay the majority of health care costs.

4. Technology has become a big influence on the spending on health care. The Technology advances has provided better health care and treatment, but has also brought increased spending (Stanhope and Lancaster 99).

5. A typical uninsured individual is a member of the workforce or a dependent of this worker. An uninsured worker may either have a low paying job, a part-time temporary job or a job at a small business that doesn’t pay enough for the individual to afford the health insurance he or she needs or the employer doesn’t offer insurance as their benefits (Stanhope and Lancaster 102).

6. Many individuals who are uninsured are young adults. These individuals are less than 65 years of age. They are either unable to afford insurance, lack a job-based coverage or don’t think they need insurance because of their health status. According to Stanhope and Lancaster the near poor are more likely to be uninsured than the poor due to the eligibility requirement for Medicaid (Stanhope and Lancaster 102).

7. People that were born between 1946 and 1964 are considered baby boomers (U.S. Census Bureau para 1). When the baby boomers reach the age of eligibility for Medicare in the near future, the government will spend more on health care and there will be fewer individuals paying into Medicare will decrease. Statistics show that “one in eight Americans were 65 and older in 1990” (Stanhope and Lancaster 109). “One in five Americans are projected to be 65 and older in 2030 [and] the number of individuals 85 and older will double between 1990 and 2030” (Stanhope and Lancaster 109).

8. Insurance companies have denied paying for health care expenditures for preexisting conditions. “A pre-existing condition is a health problem that existed before [an individual] [applied] for a health insurance policy or enrolled in a new health plan”(Bihari).

9. “The goal of the health care legislation [is] to expand coverage to the millions of Americans who do not presently have health care coverage, to improve the health care delivery system in the United States, and to control the rising cost of health care” (Connolly).

10. The health care reform will require Americans to have health care coverage through private insurance or government ran programs. If an individual fails to obtain health care coverage they will then be given a maximum tax penalty of $695 or greater (Connolly).

11. “The health care portions of the bill will affect nearly every American and re-make nearly one-sixth of the national economy” (Dems Sweeten Health Bill).

12. The Health Care Reform bill is limited to only U.S. citizens and legal immigrants within certain incomes (Connolly).

13. Individuals and families who make between 100 percent and 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level will receive financial assistance from the government to purchase health care insurance (Jackson and Nolen).

14. “Starting this year, insurance companies will be banned forever from denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions” (Pear). In 2014, “insurance companies cannot deny coverage to anyone with preexisting conditions” (Jackson and Nolen).

15. With the Health Care Reform Bill Employers with 50 plus employees will be required to provide health insurance or will be forced to pay a fine of $2000 per worker each year (Jackson and Nolen).

16.  The Health Care Reform Bill will cost $940 billion over ten years. However it will reduce the deficit by $143 billion over the first ten years and by $1.2 trillion in the second ten years (Jackson and Nolen).

17. Bihari, Micheal. "Pre Existing Conditions- Understanding Exclusions and Creditable Coverage." Health Insurance. About.com, 15 Apr. 2010. Web. 24 May 2010..

18. Connolly, David. "Bullet by Bullet: Health Reform Impacts All." American Academy of Professional Coders. American Academy of Professional Coders, 6 Apr. 2010. Web. 13 Apr. 2010.. “Dems sweeten health bill, set vote for Sunday.” Parkersburg New and Sentinel 19 March 2010, weekly ed. Print.

19. Jackson, Jill, and John Nolen. "Health Care Reform Bill Summary: A Look At What's in the Bill." CBS News. CBS News, 21 Mar. 2010. Web. 13 Apr. 2010.. “Oldest Baby Boomers Turn 60.” Facts for Features. U.S. Census Bureau, 16 Dec. 2009. Web. 15 Apr 2010.

20. Pear, Robert. "Coverage Now for Sick Children? Check Fine Print." The New York Times. 28 Mar. 2010. Web. 24 May 2010.. Stanhope, Marcia, and Jeanette Lancaster. “Influences on Health Care Delivery and Population-Centered Nursing.” Public Health Nursing. Seventh ed. Canada: Mosby, Inc., 2008. Print.