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On March 23, President Obama signed into law comprehensive health care reform legislation. As I said during the debate on the bill, “We come to the floor for thousands of votes each year, but no single vote comes with so many personal stories standing behind it.” This legislation is based on the work of generations of Americans, and was driven by the experiences of so many who have struggled with rising health care costs and suffered from a lack of health insurance. Under the new law – for the first time in America’s history – all Americans will have access to quality, affordable health coverage. The new health care reform law builds on our employer-based, private health care system, reins in insurance company abuses, improves Medicare, and provides more affordable options for small businesses and individuals without insurance. Key provisions starting this year:
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PROVISION |
HELP FOR… |
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR AMERICANS |
Effective Upon Enactment (Immediately Eligible For These Benefits) |
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Small Business Tax Credits |
Small Businesses |
Provides tax credits to small businesses that choose to offer coverage to cover up to 35% of premiums. (Beginning in 2014, small business tax credits will cover 50 percent of premiums.) |
Closing Medicare Part D “Donut Hole” |
Seniors |
Provides a $250 rebate to Medicare beneficiaries who hit the “donut hole” in 2010. (Beginning in 2011, institutes a 50% discount on brand-name drugs in the donut hole; also completely closes the donut hole by 2020.) |
Effective 90 Days After Enactment |
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Immediate Help For The Uninsured Until Exchange Is Available |
Families |
Provides assistance for Americans who are uninsured because of a pre‐existing condition to purchase a plan through a temporary program. (Beginning in 2014, all insurance plans will be prohibited from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions.) |
Effective 6 Months After Enactment |
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No Rescissions |
Families |
Bans health plans from dropping people from coverage when they get sick. |
No Lifetime Limits |
Families |
Prohibits health plans from placing lifetime caps on coverage. |
No Restrictive Annual Limits |
Families |
Tightly limits new plans’ use of annual limits to ensure access to needed care. (Beginning in 2014, the use of any annual limits would be prohibited for all plans.) |
No Discrimination Against Children With Pre‐Existing Conditions |
Young Americans |
Prohibits health plans from denying coverage to children with pre‐existing conditions. (Beginning in 2014, this prohibition would apply to all persons.) |
Extends Coverage For Young People Up To 26th Birthday Through Parents’ Insurance |
Young Americans |
Requires health plans to allow young people to remain on their parents’ insurance policy up to their 26th birthday, at the parents’ choice. |
Now that health care reform has passed, many Americans and Michiganders are asking, “How will health care reform impact me?” If you currently receive insurance through an employer, that coverage will continue for the vast majority of Americans. If you are a small business owner, self-employed, or uninsured, you will have the option beginning in 2014 to purchase insurance through new state-based health insurance exchanges. Plans in the exchanges will not be allowed to discriminate based on pre-existing conditions and will instead have to compete only based on price and quality. Small business owners and people with income below a certain level will get a tax credit they can apply to any of the plans in the exchange. If you are on Medicare, you will have the same benefits in traditional Medicare you have now, and some added benefits.
The health care reform legislation signed into law maintains all benefits in traditional Medicare and adds additional benefits such as lower prescription drug costs and the elimination of co-payments for preventive services.
All small businesses with fewer than 50 employees are completely exempt from any requirements to offer coverage under the reform legislation. However, if a small business currently offers coverage or chooses to offer coverage in the future, it will be eligible for new tax credits to pay up to 35% of the cost of coverage starting this year, and for tax credits of up to 50% of the cost starting in 2014.
Hearing From You on Health Care Reform |
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This year, I hosted a series of roundtables, dialog days, town hall meetings, and online forums to hear your opinions on the health care reform proposals being developed in Congress.
Health Care Roundtables Read re-caps of the Roundtables >> Health Care Dialog Days Town Halls
Health Care Story Board |
(Updated April 15, 2010)
To Contact Congressman Levin: - Email Congressman Levin Site Map - Privacy Policy - Problems with this site? |
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In Michigan: 27085 Gratiot Ave, Roseville, MI 48066 | (586) 498-7122 | (248) 968-2025 In Washington: 1236 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 | (202) 225-4961 |
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