In lieu of the traditional Weird News column, we present to you something that actually matters: health care reform. Here are a few of the many things Congress passed:
The Mandate: This provision won’t kick in until 2014, and it requires most Americans to buy health insurance or pay a penalty that will rise to no more than $2,085 by 2016.
Subsidies: Households without insurance making up to $88,200 will get tax credits to help with health care costs. The lowest income group will pay 2 to 4.6 percent of income on premiums, with the rest paid for by the government.
Exchanges: States will run so-called “exchanges,” which basically collect information about various health insurance plans and puts them in one place to allow people to compare and shop. I imagine it’s kind of like being in a Progressive Car Insurance commercial except with health insurance and there’s no one health insurance provider trying to get you to buy from them.
Medicaid: Beginning in 2014, families of four making $29,327 or less will qualify for Medicaid, extending coverage to 16 million new recipients.
Abortion: Health insurance plans in the exchange can offer to pay for abortions. However, people who receive subsidies, or government money, do not get to pay for abortion coverage with government money. They must make separate payments.
Pre-Existing Conditions: Starting 2014, insurance companies can’t exclude people with pre-existing medical problems.
Canceling Coverage: Starting in about six months, insurance companies may no longer cancel policies of people who get sick.
Lifetime Coverage Limits: Insurers may no longer limit insurance coverage over a lifetime.
Employer Penalties: Employers with 50 or more workers must offer coverage or else pay a penalty of $750-per-worker. Also, workers get subsidies for insurance.
Medicare Cuts: To help pay for health care reform, Medicare benefits will receive cuts at around $632 billion dollars in various areas.
This is by no means everything that the recent health care reform legislation does. To get a better sense of the recent changes to government health care policy, supplemental reading can be found with a simple google search.
The Mandate: This provision won’t kick in until 2014, and it requires most Americans to buy health insurance or pay a penalty that will rise to no more than $2,085 by 2016.
Subsidies: Households without insurance making up to $88,200 will get tax credits to help with health care costs. The lowest income group will pay 2 to 4.6 percent of income on premiums, with the rest paid for by the government.
Exchanges: States will run so-called “exchanges,” which basically collect information about various health insurance plans and puts them in one place to allow people to compare and shop. I imagine it’s kind of like being in a Progressive Car Insurance commercial except with health insurance and there’s no one health insurance provider trying to get you to buy from them.
Medicaid: Beginning in 2014, families of four making $29,327 or less will qualify for Medicaid, extending coverage to 16 million new recipients.
Abortion: Health insurance plans in the exchange can offer to pay for abortions. However, people who receive subsidies, or government money, do not get to pay for abortion coverage with government money. They must make separate payments.
Pre-Existing Conditions: Starting 2014, insurance companies can’t exclude people with pre-existing medical problems.
Canceling Coverage: Starting in about six months, insurance companies may no longer cancel policies of people who get sick.
Lifetime Coverage Limits: Insurers may no longer limit insurance coverage over a lifetime.
Employer Penalties: Employers with 50 or more workers must offer coverage or else pay a penalty of $750-per-worker. Also, workers get subsidies for insurance.
Medicare Cuts: To help pay for health care reform, Medicare benefits will receive cuts at around $632 billion dollars in various areas.
This is by no means everything that the recent health care reform legislation does. To get a better sense of the recent changes to government health care policy, supplemental reading can be found with a simple google search.