Health Care Reform
Legislation | Documents/Reports | Links
In November, 2009, the House of Representatives took an historic first step in providing Americans accessible, affordable, high-quality health care by passing a major health care reform package. In December, the Senate passed its version of health care reform which differed from the House version.
The House approved the Senate's version and also passed modifications to that version in a process called "reconciliation"-- which is predicated on the House first agreeing to the Senate's passed version.
Those modifications close the Medicare prescription drug “donut hole,” remove the backroom deals for individual states, eliminate overpayments to private insurance companies offering Medicare Advantage plans, and expand the savings to the federal deficit over ten years to over $1 trillion.
One of the most important modifications for New York State that the House has made to the Senate proposal is a $2+ billion improvement for New York’s Medicaid budget in just the first year (in 2014). The impact on the NYS Medicaid budget is a swing from a projected increased cost of over $700 million, to a project savings of $1.3 billion—and again, that’s just the first year of implementation of this provision.
I’m proud to have voted for this package of health care reforms. Together, they go farther than any other health care legislation in my lifetime-- and probably yours-- in extending health care coverage and reducing health care costs over time. Key immediate benefits of the legislation include:
- Free preventive care under Medicare--no co-payments and deductibles for seniors.
- Helps "early" retirees with pre-Medicare, temporary coverage for those between ages 55-64. · Prohibits insurance companies from canceling policies of people with pre-existing conditions, from canceling the policies of people who get sick, and eliminates lifetime caps on coverage.
- Bans discrimination against children with pre-existing conditions.
- Bans restrictive annual lifts on coverage, for new plans.
- Requires free preventive care for those under new private plans--no co-payments or deductibles.
- Extends coverage of children on their parents' policies to the 26th birthday--our most uninsured group
As HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says, “HealthCare.gov helps consumers take control of their health care and make the choices that are right for them, by putting the power of information at their fingertips. For too long, the insurance market has been confusing and hard to navigate. HealthCare.gov makes it easy for consumers and small businesses to compare health insurance plans in both the public and private sector and find other important health care information.”
Legislation
03/18/10 - Detailed Summary of Reconciliation Bill
11/07/09 - Detailed Summary of Affordable Health Care for America Act
11/07/09 - Affordable Health Care for America Act - Section-by-Section Analysis
11/07/09 - Summary of Manager's Amendment
11/05/09 - H.R. 3962, Manager's Amendment to Affordable Health Care for America Act
10/29/09 - H.R. 3962, Affordable Health Care for America Act
08/17/09 - H.R. 3200, America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009
Documents
06/22/10 - Immediate Benefits of Health Care Reform
06/22/10 - New Patient's Bill of Rights Fact Sheet
03/18/10 - Key Improvements to the Senate Bill
03/18/10 - What Health Insurance Does for You
03/18/10 - Implementation Timeline
03/18/10 - Shared Responsibility
03/18/10 - Strengthening Medicare
03/18/10 - Medicare Part D and Donut Hole
03/18/10 - Employers and Health Reform
01/13/10 - Health Care Reform: Comparison of Major House-Senate Differences
11/07/09 - Detailed Summary of Affordable Health Care for America Act
11/07/09 - Affordable Health Care for America Act - Section-by-Section Analysis
11/07/09 - Summary of Manager's Amendment
11/07/09 - Paying for Health Insurance Reform
11/07/09 - Controlling Health Care Costs
11/07/09 - Leading Health Economists Support H.R. 3962
11/05/09 - Supporters of the Affordable Health Care for America Act
11/05/09 - Paying for Health Insurance Reform
11/05/09 - How Health Insurance Reform Helps Small Businesses
11/05/09 - What You Need to Know About Health Insurance Reform
10/29/09 - Health Insurance Reform Side-by-Side Comparison
10/29/09 - America's Affordable Health Choices Act - Implementation Timeline
10/29/09 - Immediate Investments on the Road to Reform
10/29/09 - Affordable Health Care for America Act
10/29/09 - Topline Changes from Introduced Bill to Blended Bill
08/14/09 - What's in the Health Care Reform Bill for You?
08/14/09 - Making Quality Health Care Affordable
08/14/09 - Paying for Health Care Reform
08/14/09 - Consumer Protections Insurance Reforms
08/14/09 - Public Health Insurance Option
08/14/09 - Strengthening the Nation's Health Workforce
08/14/09 - Employers and Health Reforms
08/14/09 - Innovative Delivery System Reforms
08/14/09 - Health Insurance Exchange
08/14/09 - Protecting Program Integrity From Waste, Fraud, and Abuse
08/14/09 - Strengthening Medicare
08/14/09 - Maintaining and Improving Medicaid
08/13/09 - Letter to Leadership on Protecting Medicare and Medicaid DSH Payments
08/13/09 - Letter to Chairman Waxman on 340 B Drug Pricing Program Extension
Links
08/10/09 - Comprehensive Health Insurance Reform: An Essential Prescription for Women
08/17/09 - Statement about Health Care reform on the floor of the House of Representatives (Video)
More on Health Care Reform
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reports New York seniors and people with disabilities saved $669,540,104 on prescription drug costs since enactment of Affordable Care Act; nationally, savings totaled $8.9 billion
New York, NY – Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) today issued the following statement on the third anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act:
New York, NY U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney (D Manhattan, Queens) today joined with health care providers, patients, and advocates to tout the benefits of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the landmark legislation passed by Congress in 2010 whose constitutionality was upheld this week in an historic U.S. Supreme Court decision, and which was strongly supported by Maloney. At today’s press conference, Congresswoman Maloney, health care providers affiliated with local medical centers, patients who are or will benefit from the ACA, and advocates describe how the law has already helped tens of thousands of seniors and young adults in New York and specifically in the 14th Congressional District of New York that she represents, as well as ways in which New Yorkers will benefit from provisions of the ACA that have yet to take effect.
New York, NY – U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan, Queens) today released a new report detailing the benefits that have accrued to her constituents since the passage of the landmark Affordable Care Act, which Maloney strongly supported and was signed into law by President Obama. The report, which was compiled by the minority staff of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, shows how the health reform law has helped tens of thousands of seniors, young adults, small businesses, and others in the 14th Congressional District of New York, which Maloney represents.
WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), issued the following statement after today’s contraception announcement by President Obama.
New York, NY – One year ago today, House Republicans passed a bill repealing the Affordable Care Act, the package of health care reforms signed by President Obama in March 2010. While the House Republican repeal effort went nowhere, today U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan, Queens) warned New Yorkers about the coverage they would have lost and the increased costs they would have incurred had the Republican effort been successful.
New York, NY – U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) today noted the first anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, the package of health care reforms signed by President Obama, applauding the law’s wide impact in just its first year of enactment.