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March 21, 2010 6:31 PM

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Health Care Reform Bill Summary: A Look At What's in the Bill

By: Jill Jackson, John Nolen
Topics: Health Care

Updated March 23, 5 p.m. ET

By CBS News Capitol Hill Producers Jill Jackson and John Nolen

Cost:

$940 billion over ten years.

Deficit:

Would reduce the deficit by $143 billion over the first ten years. That is an updated CBO estimate. Their first preliminary estimate said it would reduce the deficit by $130 billion over ten years. Would reduce the deficit by $1.2 trillion dollars in the second ten years.

Read more on the CBO Report

Coverage:

Would expand coverage to 32 million Americans who are currently uninsured.

Health Insurance Exchanges:

The uninsured and self-employed would be able to purchase insurance through state-based exchanges with subsidies available to individuals and families with income between the 133 percent and 400 percent of poverty level.
Separate exchanges would be created for small businesses to purchase coverage -- effective 2014.
Funding available to states to establish exchanges within one year of enactment and until January 1, 2015.

Subsidies:

Individuals and families who make between 100 percent - 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and want to purchase their own health insurance on an exchange are eligible for subsidies. They cannot be eligible for Medicare, Medicaid and cannot be covered by an employer. Eligible buyers receive premium credits and there is a cap for how much they have to contribute to their premiums on a sliding scale.

Federal Poverty Level for family of four is $22,050

Paying for the Plan:

Medicare Payroll tax on investment income -- Starting in 2012, the Medicare Payroll Tax will be expanded to include unearned income. That will be a 3.8 percent tax on investment income for families making more than $250,000 per year ($200,000 for individuals).
Excise Tax -- Beginning in 2018, insurance companies will pay a 40 percent excise tax on so-called "Cadillac" high-end insurance plans worth over $27,500 for families ($10,200 for individuals). Dental and vision plans are exempt and will not be counted in the total cost of a family's plan.
Tanning Tax -- 10 percent excise tax on indoor tanning services.

Medicare:

Closes the Medicare prescription drug "donut hole" by 2020. Seniors who hit the donut hole by 2010 will receive a $250 rebate.
Beginning in 2011, seniors in the gap will receive a 50 percent discount on brand name drugs. The bill also includes $500 billion in Medicare cuts over the next decade.

Medicaid:

Expands Medicaid to include 133 percent of federal poverty level which is $29,327 for a family of four.
Requires states to expand Medicaid to include childless adults starting in 2014.
Federal Government pays 100 percent of costs for covering newly eligible individuals through 2016.
Illegal immigrants are not eligible for Medicaid.

Insurance Reforms:

Six months after enactment, insurance companies could no longer denying children coverage based on a preexisting condition.
Starting in 2014, insurance companies cannot deny coverage to anyone with preexisting conditions.
Insurance companies must allow children to stay on their parent's insurance plans until age 26th.

Abortion:

The bill segregates private insurance premium funds from taxpayer funds. Individuals would have to pay for abortion coverage by making two separate payments, private funds would have to be kept in a separate account from federal and taxpayer funds.
No health care plan would be required to offer abortion coverage. States could pass legislation choosing to opt out of offering abortion coverage through the exchange.

**Separately, anti-abortion Democrats worked out language with the White House on an executive order that would state that no federal funds can be used to pay for abortions except in the case of rape, incest or health of the mother. (Read more here)

Individual Mandate:

In 2014, everyone must purchase health insurance or face a $695 annual fine. There are some exceptions for low-income people.

Employer Mandate:

Technically, there is no employer mandate. Employers with more than 50 employees must provide health insurance or pay a fine of $2000 per worker each year if any worker receives federal subsidies to purchase health insurance. Fines applied to entire number of employees minus some allowances.

Immigration:

Illegal immigrants will not be allowed to buy health insurance in the exchanges -- even if they pay completely with their own money.

More Details of the Bill:

Short-term Benefits From Health Care Reform
GOP Howls at Health Care Sweetheart Deals
College Aid Reform Passes with Health Bill
Health Care Bill Extends Tax to Investments
Read the Text (PDF): Complete Senate Bill | Reconciliation Measure

More Coverage of Health Care Reform:

Health Care Reform: Which Party Comes Out on Top?
Health Care Bill Passed the House, But Battles Ahead in Senate, Court
House Passes Health Care Bill
Poll: Health Care Reform Still Confusing
Analysis: Health Care Debate Shows Ideological Split
Obama: "This is What Change Looks Like"
Health Care Vote: How Each Representative Voted
Announcement of the Vote
Boehner Tells Democrats: Shame on You
Pelosi Urges House to "Make History"
Stupak Called "Baby Killer" for Backing Bill
CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care

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by joe1022joe February 6, 2012 5:43 AM EST: I don't believe for one second that Obamacare will save any money. I believe this is a government lie. I believe if 32,000,000 "low income" people are added to the government subsidized roles of medical care it will grossly increase the deficit. Don't you?; Reply to this comment

by judpil February 3, 2012 12:12 PM EST

IS THERE ANY TRUTH TO THE FOLLOWING:
This new law requires an RFID chip implanted in all of us. This chip will not only contain your personal information with tracking capability but it will also be linked to your bank account. And get this, Page 1004 of the new law (dictating the timing of this chip), reads, and I quote: "Not later than 36 months after the date of the enactment". It is now the law of the land that by March 23rd 2013 we will all be required to have an RFID chip underneath our skin and this chip will be link to our bank accounts as well as have our personal records and tracking capability built into it.

Reply to this comment


by judpil February 4, 2012 11:44 AM EST: I posted the above and think it is totally ridiculous and have not found anything to support the claim. But there are tons of sites on the internet spewing out this myth and would like a creditable source to discredit it.

by rockcutr November 28, 2011 8:03 AM EST

This bill has been passed for a long time now. Yet, no body seems to be able to understand what it totally is. By design this, as all crap, has the intent to confuse, manipulate, and ultimately tax everyone for something touted as care which no body shall ever recieve. Insurance Corps, doctors, and large private pill producers shall reap a huge booty. We the people still have no thing which resembles health care. It is really ok. With that kind of help, who needs enemys?

Reply to this comment


by tsprague52 November 29, 2011 5:10 PM EST: I thought that this article outlined, very well, what is in the Law (not bill). And this is not the first one that has done so. Not by a long shot.

It is apparent that you either have not read the law, or you are not able to comprehend what it says.

All you are doing is repeating talking points, without anything to back them up. Why?


by zebra62 December 3, 2011 10:26 AM EST: The real cost of this bill will never be known. There are numerous,too numerous to count, paragraphs that state that the Secretary of HHS or the Insurance Commissioner(evidently a czar) will determine the what and how of the procedure or process. That means many things can be added or increased without legislation. My other thought is that when and if the mandatory insurance provisions are denied by the Court, Obama has a bill with immense tax increases and less cost. Think about that!

by Squirl48 November 17, 2011 12:21 PM EST

CHECK THIS OUT!! SEE SNOPES COMMENT AT THE END!!!
The word 'Dhimmitude" is found in the new health care bill;

so what does it mean?
Thought this was interesting and worth passing on.
Dhimmitude -- What does it mean?
Obama used it in the health care bill.

Now isn't this interesting?

It is used in the health care law.

Dhimmitude -- I had never heard the word until now. Type it into Google and start reading. Pretty interesting. It's on page 107 of the healthcare bill. I looked this up on Google and yep, it exists.. It is a REAL word.

Dhimmitude is the Muslim system of controlling non-Muslim populations conquered through jihad. Specifically, it is the TAXING of non-Muslims in exchange for tolerating their presence AND as a coercive means of converting conquered remnants to Islam.

ObamaCare allows the establishment of Dhimmitude and Sharia Muslim diktat in the United States. Muslims are specifically exempted from the government mandate to purchase insurance, and also from the penalty tax for being uninsured. Islam considers insurance to be "gambling", "risk-taking", and "usury" and is thus banned. Muslims are specifically granted exemption based on this.
How convenient. So I, as a Christian, will have crippling IRS liens placed against all of my assets, including real estate, cattle, and even accounts receivables, and will face hard prison time because I refuse to buy insurance or pay the penalty tax.
Meanwhile, Louis Farrakhan will have no such penalty and will have 100% of his health needs paid for by the de facto government insurance.

Non-Muslims will be paying a tax to subsidize Muslims. This is Dhimmitude.
snopes.com: Health Insurance Exemptions

Apr 13, 2010 ... Dhimmitude is the Muslim system of controlling non-muslim populations ... The ObamaCare bill is the establishment of Dhimmitude and Sharia ...

www.snopes.com/politics/medical/exemptions.asp

Reply to this comment


by tsprague52 November 29, 2011 5:23 PM EST: As the Snopes article CLEARLY states, the word "Dhimmitude" is not in the HCR Law, whatsoever.

What's more, the HCR Law does not mention WHICH religious groups will be able to get an exemption.

At all.

Stop spreading lies.


by bckrd1 December 6, 2011 3:03 PM EST: You are a liar. I just read it and it clearly states that Dhimmitude is NOT in the bill.

by midvale3 October 3, 2011 8:02 PM EDT

It's a start, keep working towards Universal and **** on the teabaggers. The US is a joke considering it's the only major industrialized country not having health care for it's citizens.

Reply to this comment


by rocketjl October 18, 2011 12:04 PM EDT: I really think you need to move to one of those places that has a medical system more to your liking. This 'law' and all of those places you talk about have death panels and I don't need that. Obama just threw out long term care. Ain't that great, Obama gets rid of what might make him look bad.

by slatep September 20, 2011 4:54 AM EDT

ARE YOU KIDDING ME.??

NOBODY, not even Obams knows everything that"s in it.

We had idiots like Nancy Pelosi telling Democrats to "fall on their swords" to get this travesty passed.

God only knows what the Republicans were promised behind closed doors to get them fall on.

As for the Super Committee, they have already announced they are not going to budge on most issues; so why bother at all. The Super Committee should e renamed the STALLING Committrr, because that' all it really is.

Turns out, they hoisted themselves on their own petards

Reply to this comment


by rocketjl October 18, 2011 12:07 PM EDT: Remember, it is only after they successfully bribed enough people to pass this law, that they figured they would start writing what is in it. Look at the history and haw it changes each day. Obama knows he will most likely be out of office when the other shoe drops. Check out the news policy for organ transplants. If you are old, you get bypassed.


by realist2010 November 6, 2011 6:08 AM EST: Are you two getting tired of making up stories yet?

by timchi1956 September 5, 2011 7:02 PM EDT

Here is Obama Care in a nut shell, if your in this country legally and you get sick you are expendable and will likely die depending on your ability to make money or spend it like a drunken sailor, the more you earn or spend the more value you have. Your right to life will be subject to a vote by a committee. On the other hand if you are here illegally and get sick, no committee vote will be necessary and no expense will be spared in saving your life. It's only fair according to Obama, and pass the darn thing we can read it later; Pelosi and Reid.

Reply to this comment


by ge556 September 7, 2011 12:49 PM EDT: timchi1956 has no integrity, and considers any lie and slander fair game.

by RobAla September 4, 2011 9:20 AM EDT

This law is the worst piece of crap legislation to come out of Washington in my lifetime. Sure, it does a few things like force coverage of pre-existing conditions and provides a little coverage for the working poor.

However, if this law was so good - why did all the political legislators who passed this crap law exempt themselves from it? They still have their cushy government coverage, not this crap.

Here we go: This article uses the original figures from the CBO, not the revised ones that show that it cost $105 billion in new federal spending each year.

1) Democrats cut $400 billion from Medicare, in an attempt to pay for it.

2) Still, it costs taxpayers $105 billion each year in new additional federal spending and it is part of why there is such massive deficit spending.

3) Instead of bringing down the rising costs of health care for all Americans, it results in health care premiums rising even more in cost for the majority of Americans. You can't get something for nothing. If you cover pre-existing conditions, cover high risk people, and expand federal departments to handle the huge administrative work this causes - it costs a lot of money. It results in the premiums going up for everyone. Americans who practice healthy lifestyles will have to pay for those who do not. (How fair is this?)

4) This idiotic law imposes huge expenses and additional regulations on business in 2014. This has forces profitable businesses to put that money aside to pay for this nonsense, rather than hire workers with it.

5) It results in businesses electing to have employees work overtime, rather than hire additional employees. The law imposes huge expense for each worker, so it is financially easier for businesses to just have people work more hours than to hire another worker.

6) It imposes $billions of unfunded mandates on states to increase Medicaid coverage (at a time when states can hardly make it financially - that is why 27 states are suing the federal government over it).

7) The law is filled with fees on medical devices, including pacemakers. It drives up the costs of medicine in the United States.

8) It imposes new taxes (which the law says are not to be called "taxes"). I haven't read the entire law, but I read enough of it to make me want to puke.

9) For the first time, the federal government requires ALL American citizens to purchase a service (health care) or be fined. (Can you feel the love?) The mandate that forces Americans to purchase a service (health care) or be fined or put in jail - will be ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. This supposed to be a free democratic republic, not a socialist oppressive nation.

10) Americans were promised open discussions, aired on CSPAN, prior to its passage. Instead, deals were cut behind closed doors and it was totally a partisan effort by Democrats. Republicans were totally shut out of the formation of this law, and therefore half the American population was shut out. Then, and now, the majority of Americans are against this horrible law.

If you don't believe me regarding the wording in the law that states that certain taxes are not to be called taxes, below is a portion of Section 304 of the Affordable Health Care Act (HR 3962):

''(6) NOT TREATED AS TAX IMPOSED BY THIS
CHAPTER FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES.—The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax imposed by this chapter for purposes of determining the amount of any credit under this chapter or for purposes of section 55."

Reply to this comment


by ge556 September 7, 2011 12:53 PM EDT: "However, if this law was so good - why did all the political legislators who passed this crap law exempt themselves from it?"
---
They didn't, unless you figure they exempted everyone who gets health insurance through their employer. They are treated just like me, a private sector employee. We all get to keep our current coverage.

Most of what you write is slanted or outright false. Try a bit more objectivity.