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November 7, 2009 11:37 PM

Key Provisions of the House Health Care Bill

Posted by Jill Jackson
The House passed H.R. 3962, called the "Affordable Health Care for America Act," in a 220 to 215 vote on Saturday night. Here's a look at some of the provisions in the $1.2 trillion dollar bill:

  • Creates a public health insurance option and a national exchange for the uninsured and small businesses to purchase health insurance. The Secretary of Health and Human Services would negotiate rates with doctors and hospitals on reimbursement rates.

  • The bill includes mandates for individuals to purchase and businesses to provide health insurance or pay a fine. Individual penalty is 2.5 percent of gross income unless they get a waiver. Businesses that don't offer insurance pay a fine equal to 8 percent of their payroll. Businesses with a payroll of less than $500,000 are exempt from the mandate.

  • Insurance companies are prohibited from denying coverage based on a pre-existing condition. There are caps on deductibles and annual out of pocket spending is capped at $5000.

  • Eliminates the Medicare doughnut hole over ten years.

  • Allows individuals up to 27-years-old to stay on their parent’s health insurance

  • Expands Medicaid from 100 percent to 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.

  • Provides tax subsidies for individuals between 150 and 400 percent (sliding scale) of the Federal Poverty Level. There are also tax subsidies for small businesses.

  • As amended, it prohibits federal funds from covering abortions. Women would need to purchase riders to insurance purchased on the exchange if they wanted that coverage.

  • The bill taxes individuals making more than $500,000 and $1 million for couples. It is a 5.4 percent tax.

  • Reduces overpayments to doctors who treat Medicare Advantage patients. It is estimated they are paid 14 percent more than doctors who treat Medicare patients.

    CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care

    (CBS)
    Jill Jackson is a CBS News Capitol Hill Producer. You can read more of her posts in Hotsheet here. You can also follow her on Twitter.
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    Add a Comment See all 219 Comments
    by kip863 November 9, 2009 3:44 PM EST
    It would be a much easier pill to swallow if ALL including our top government representatives and employees would be included in the same system as the rest of US.
    Reply to this comment
    by DSW358 November 9, 2009 9:46 AM EST
    Small business is the backbone of employment right now...They are providing as many benefits as possible. Sometimes health benefits are earned as the employee contributes to the organization. Under the House proposal, the mandate or fine situation means that small businesses will simply have to let people go. This is for cash businesses with no debt by the way, they've already cut any excess, the only thing left is employees. Stupid House, stupid Pelosi, she's going to make Obama a one term President which is what he seems to want anyway.
    Reply to this comment
    by November 8, 2009 11:39 PM EST
    OK then, let's say that health care reform is "bad" then. We're all good
    citizens, and believe in the American way. Our taxes will continue to pay
    hundreds of dollars each for emergency room visits for issues that could
    be treated at a doctor's office. We will stay in jobs in order to maintain
    our health coverage, because we have a preexisting condition. (So much for starting your own business), we will enjoy excellent care at gleaming
    medical centers, and some of us will receive hospital bills in the hundred thousand plus range because a child or loved one has suffered
    a severe illness or injury that exceeds our coverage limits. Every family
    or individual is just one major illness away from financial disaster
    under the present system. So, best wishes, and pray that you stay healthy
    for ever.
    Reply to this comment
    by band3x November 8, 2009 9:20 PM EST
    "Individual penalty is 2.5 percent of gross income unless they get a waiver. "

    2.5% of what income? Annual? Weekly?
    Reply to this comment
    by dlmsharpshoo November 8, 2009 9:55 PM EST
    Don't you love it...2.5% of your gross income, not your after tax...So...you pay a tax on taxes! Love it...This is the change you Obama backers voted for?????
    by apachekid November 8, 2009 9:09 PM EST
    With thousands of Our Troops needing reinforcements & 20% of Americans Without Jobs. Obama decides HIS Agenda is more important.

    Gets tough with Senators & Representatives that oppose his scheme. Threats, Innuendos, and more Threats from Obama's Moron, Moveon, ACORN, ACORN Holers & Homophobes, Pelosi & Reid! The Rest of The Story!

    Yesterday, the House passed a historic health care reform bill. So now, the fight moves to the Senate...and we're ready.

    Progressives pledged $3,578,117 this last week to fund primary challenges against any Democratic senator who blocks an up-or-down vote on health care reform with a public option.

    It's a huge sum, and the clearest signal yet that any Democrat who helps Republicans filibuster health care reform will face an enormous backlash from the grassroots.

    Here's another way to make sure conservatives think twice before joining with Republicans: Many of these senators hold coveted committee chairmanships that give them significant power within the Senate.

    Our friends at Democracy for America have launched an open letter urging Senate Democrats to strip committee chairmanship from any Democrat who filibusters health care.
    Reply to this comment
    by jschmidt27 November 8, 2009 5:55 PM EST
    The last CNN poll shows the Dems are on the wrong track. THis is going to hurt them in 2010 when we go to the polls to vote them out.According to the poll, 45 percent support President Barack Obama's proposals to reform health care, with 53 percent opposed to his plans. This is the first time since the president's early September prime time address a joint session of Congress on health care that a majority of people questioned in a CNN survey oppose Obama's proposals."Six in ten independents say they oppose Obama's health care proposals," says Holland. "That's a nine point increase since October."
    Reply to this comment
    by dlmsharpshoo November 8, 2009 5:59 PM EST
    jschmidt27...Rasmussen has been showing this for some time...This actually has big ramifications as CNN consistently over samples Democrats!
    by jschmidt27 November 8, 2009 6:02 PM EST
    dlmsharpshoo- I agree. CNN is part of state run media and if they are showing it then the Dems are really in trouble.
    But we still need to fit this and make sure our Senators vote against it. Unfortunately in CT we have Dodd who is for it and Liberman who is against the public option. So at least we have one good one and we are trying to get rid of Dodd. Next in 2010 we better work to make sure the we get non-Democrats in office to stop this nonsense of bankrupting our country and turning us into a nanny state. And this also goes for state govt as well. In CT the Dems control the state legislature and with their overwhelming majority they are on course to send the state deeper in debt. Three months into the fiscal year and we over 300 million over budget. If you look at those states controlled by the Dems, they're in the same boat. So we need to turn out in support against these Democrat pushed causes. If you can't afford to donate, volunteer. But if we stand by and do nothing, we will only have ourselves to blame.
    by dlmsharpshoo November 8, 2009 5:31 PM EST
    To everyone posting, no matter what your preference or political persuasion is, I urge you to go to this web page (http://www.usdebtclock.org/) and spend a little time there....Don't worry about the past or present, who to blame or not, but only consider what the future will look like for your children. Then think about the out of control spending by our government and it's impact on this number. Note: This is without healthcare reform (another $1.2Trillion). Now tell me that I am only thinking of myself...This is all of our problem....When there is no more revenue sources to cover this debt, no one, and I mean no one (including those in need today) will have anything....And China will own us...This is real people.
    Reply to this comment
    by reveal4 November 8, 2009 5:44 PM EST
    The President is doing what he can to lower healthcare costs as percentage of future GDP. Her is also doing all he can to wean America from foreign oil and the roughly 300 billion dollars that leaves our economy annualy en route to foreign sources. The President is doing all he can to get the economy into a financially stable position and growth has begun...3.5% in the last quarter. The healthcare reform bill will not add to the deficit or debt according to the CBO. Also, lkong term costs will lessen. The CBO has estimates that cost savings from reform will be 10's of billions in the first ten years and 100's of billions in the second ten years per the Senate finance bill. Reform should, whatever the final bill, reduce the deficit and reduce costs substantially over the coming decades. Thereby lessening the economic disaster inherited by this administration. The healthcare reform bill will reduce the our debt. And I'm done blogging for today. Happy Sunday.
    by dlmsharpshoo November 8, 2009 5:57 PM EST
    reveal4...What are you smoking????....Has the President opened drilling off our shores?.. No, but he can provide $2B of our dollars to Brazil to help their economy..Has he provided leadership towards expanding nuclear energy capabilities?...No...So don't say he is doing all he can...On healthcare, the only way it reaches the point you point out is through higher taxes/fees, reduction in services and by taking in dollars from you and I for 5 years until the actual services kicks in and with the impact on business, GDP will likely drop (companies out of business or moving overseas) and expanding healthcare coverage will actually grow healthcare as a percent of GDP....Lastly, the 3.5% GDP growth for the last quarter was driven, in part by "Cash for Clunkers" and "First time homebuyers", both of which are either over, and/or are un-sustainable....Man, you have got to get out of the "kool-aid" camp!
    by reveal4 November 8, 2009 11:15 PM EST
    Offshore oil drilling was opened up last year...last year, by the Democratic Congress dueing the Bush Administration. Brazil attained a loan from America in the form of goods and services. Brazil will use American products and services for the loan. this loan was acquired through a private organization, I believe, that does this as a matter of course, and the deal is good for America. Actually, you may have one good point, wherever you copied it from, like the rest of your posts, in regard to healthcare percentage of GDP. Growth, in the last quarter was 3.5% due to successful stimulus packages. You say I have to quit drinking the kool aid when it is obvious that you are just posting partisan talking posts, many bogus, and mostly exagerration.
    by dlmsharpshoo November 8, 2009 5:23 PM EST
    fedup12...FYI on the Post Office: from the National Press Club 10/09/09: U.S. Postal Service in acute financial crisis, Postmaster General says
    The 234-year-old U.S. Postal Service is in acute financial crisis, John Potter, the 72nd Postmaster General said Thursday during a National Press Club luncheon.

    After losing a projected $7 billion in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, Potter said he is working to help the USPS reinvent itself. It won?t be an easy task, as 28 billion fewer pieces of mail were sent last year compared to fiscal year 2008, he said. Potter said that holiday mail, one of the traditionally highest volume periods of the year, was flat last year ? and he expects it to be flat this December, as well.

    Oh and here is a "non-Rush" bit of info on Amtrak: The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak (reporting mark AMTK), is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a blend of the words "America" and "track".[1] It is headquartered at Union Station in Washington, DC.[2]

    All of Amtrak's preferred stock is owned by the U.S. federal government. The members of its board of directors are appointed by the President of the United States and are subject to confirmation by the United States Senate.

    And don't forget Fannie and Freddie, mortgage businesses that you are subsidizing too. (Look at the Federal budget at www.cbo.gov.

    Sorry, more facts than you can handle, but someone's got to help you out.
    Reply to this comment
    by reveal4 November 8, 2009 4:31 PM EST
    You folks just do not understand fact and truth. Sorry, but you folks would wear out Superman. This is what I say...If you need something to hang on to...Hang on to the facts. The facts never let you down. Even if it is a hard truth, it is the truth. If you don't know who to trust...trust the facts. If you can comprehend factual reality. Reform is clearly stated in numerous CBS articles today. The facts about the National debt are clear, obvious, and historical. The facts about the house bill are clear, obvious, and historical. If...if....you know the difference.
    Reply to this comment
    by dlmsharpshoo November 8, 2009 5:38 PM EST
    Reveal4...Just noticed that those you are accusing of "wearing out Superman" are actually providing real sources of fact vs. the made up facts you continue to spout..And boy, they sound a lot like the Democratic liberal "talking points" used on people they hope don't check facts!....Where are your sources????
    by cb621 November 8, 2009 4:20 PM EST
    Reveal4 you make a good point. Unfortunately, we now have an administration in place that will financially bury us. We need someone in office that will reduce spending and work agressively towards balancing the budget again. Obama is going to spend until the country financially collapses if we let him.
    Reply to this comment
    by reveal4 November 8, 2009 4:18 PM EST
    5% of the people own 95% of all the money and assets in America. The other 95% of us are fighting for the scraps. Wall Street has been put on notice by the House of Representatives...It is time for the Wall Street health insurance robber barons to quit ripping off Americans. The fat cats are hoarding the wealth of the country, and will work to their dying breath to suck every dime out of your pocket. The fed is standing up for the taxpayer. It is about time.
    Reply to this comment
    by jbaker314 November 8, 2009 5:01 PM EST
    reveal4 - Who are getting to make up these numbers?

    According to the 2004 IRS Statistics of Income, Personal Wealth, there were 2,728,000 (rounded) people having a net worth of $1,500,000 or more. Their total net worth was $10,201,246,000,000 ($10.2 trillion).

    If these people actually held 95% of the money and assets in the country, that would leave but $510 billion net worth for over 300,000,000 people, or $1,700 net worth / capita, which is an absurdity.

    According to another IRS report, there were but 240,128 tax returns reporting incomes of $1,000,000 or more. These tax returns, representing a mere 0.26% of all federal individual income tax returns filed, paid $178,428,994,000 in federal individual income taxes, or 21.4% of all federal individual income taxes collected.

    All of this information is available on the IRS website for anyone to take a look at. And it is easier than making things up.
    by rightofcenter November 11, 2009 3:27 PM EST
    Reveal4.. here's some info for you..

    Among the top 25 wealthiest legislators ? which includes boldface names Nancy Pelosi, Dianne Feinstein and Olympia Snowe ? there are 14 Democrats and 11 Republicans, suggesting no clear wealth divisions between party.

    The net worth calculated for the lawmakers is not exact, and CPR offers a wide range of possible net worths for each member. Levinthal said that lawmakers tend to report assets and liabilities, income, gifts and asset transactions, as required by law, in very broad ranges; the listed figure, he said, represents an estimate between two possible extremes. (Primary residences and government salaries are not reported, and thus not included.)

    The least wealthy member of Congress, the report found, is Florida Democrat Alcee Hastings, whose net worth is calculated to be negative $4,732,002 (!). Other lawmakers to make the bottom 25 are Montana's Max Baucus and Ohio's Dennis Kucinich. Keep in mind, however, that these lawmakers likely have substantial unreported assets, including their residences.

    In the executive branch, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is the second wealthiest, with a net worth of about $21 million; she trails only Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Mary L. Schapiro. The least wealthy administration figure is Vice President Joe Biden, whose net worth is estimated at just $27,012. (President Obama comes in at $3,670,505.)
    by dlmsharpshoo November 8, 2009 4:15 PM EST
    jbaker314...Nope...Not at all...Just love seeing them self-destruct when you start pointing out the obvious...Note how each question asked does not get answered but immediately aimed somewhere else to avoid the facts....Having a blast.
    Reply to this comment
    by reveal4 November 8, 2009 4:14 PM EST
    The National debt was about 800 billion when Reagan took office. He ran up the national debt, Clinton brought down the national debt, as a percentage of GDP, and the Bush administration ran up the national debt to an unprecedented degree, and left an economic catastrophe and an unpassed budget for Obama to deal with.
    Reply to this comment
    by dlmsharpshoo November 8, 2009 4:20 PM EST
    reveal4....Obama's policy decisions (starting back shortly after the TARP decision, remember Obama took over the economy in November) have created more debt than all the Presidents since day 1...Obama stated without the Stimulus unemployment would reach 8%...Now it is over 10%...Stop blaming...It is Obama's economy now...You asked for change, well change is about all you will have left when this is over.
    by reveal4 November 8, 2009 5:02 PM EST
    Hey dimsharpoo...President Obama did not take office until January 20, 2009...Not November of last year. Sheesch...
    by dlmsharpshoo November 8, 2009 5:47 PM EST
    reveal4....Check your news sources, Bush ceded the economic decisions to Obama upon election....Just so you know, I am grateful to Bush for protecting this country from additional attacks after 9/11 but am really steamed that he did not press to stop the Democrats resistance to providing non-stop housing loans for those who could not afford them nor being fiscally responsible....Remember the Dems took both houses of Congress in 2006, about the time everything started going south....Or is your memory that short????
    by dlmsharpshoo November 8, 2009 4:08 PM EST
    brianbwb 2009...RE: Your accusation that I cannot support myself..I have already done that..Grew up on a farm and lived off the land....Have you?....Nope, didn't think so....You choose to live off others....Quick question: Why is it that liberals always have to destroy something someone else has to improve their standing in life?
    Reply to this comment
    by jbaker314 November 8, 2009 4:12 PM EST
    dimsharpshoo - Are you really suprised at all of the liberal drivel here?
    by cb621 November 8, 2009 3:55 PM EST
    Can anyone offer up one government program that has been run efficiently, remained profitable without further taxpayer subsidy, and didn't grow by a thousand percent over time? Just one? Government is great at spending our money and creating huge bureaucracies to further support their welfare. The disconnect is that their primary agenda is not the US citizen, it's their own careers. They are now trying to create any entirely new governement agency that will cost us, the taxpayers, many trillions. Why not take the time to come up with other ideas and solutions that don't allow them to do this to us? Our healthcare system is a real mess. We need to take the time now to sort is out and agree on a path that will really help make it better, not bigger, not more complicated, not more expensive. We do NOT need to create another huge agency like the IRS that we perpetually pay into to make bigger and bigger.
    Reply to this comment
    by jbaker314 November 8, 2009 3:58 PM EST
    cb621 - At last, someone with a little intelligence.

    Let's take a look.

    US Postal Service - Broke and going bankrupt.

    Medicare - Going broke.

    Medicaid - Going broke.

    AMTRAK - Broke and going bankrupt.
    by reveal4 November 8, 2009 4:11 PM EST
    The public health insurance option will only cover 2% of Americans. It will be slightly higher priced than private sector policies. The super rich folks will lose their Bush tax cuts to pay for reform. Everybody else will pay less in insurance premiums. The CBO says the public option will lower the costs of private sector health insurance policies.
    by fedup12 November 8, 2009 4:51 PM EST
    The post office is not going broke. What evidence besides a rush link do you have for that statement.

    Medicare and Medicade are in trouble only because the taxes that support them are too low. But if you look at the programs they are wildly popular and way more efficient than private health insurance companies, you know with all the overpaid executives that are driving the companies out of business while they get huge bonuses.

    Is Amtrak owned and run by the Govt.? Thats a new one on me. But lets look at it... I think we need to pour huge amounts of money into the rail infrastructure. It needs fixed! But that is not Obamas fault.

    You can go back to watching Rush's 24/7 fact packed broadcasts now.
    by bc-1948 November 8, 2009 7:28 PM EST
    Medicare going broke because of the REpublican sponsored private health insurance plans that tried to disguise as "medicare advantage." - that costs much more than traditional medicare - putting a lot of extra $ in the insurance companies pockets.
    by cb621 November 8, 2009 3:40 PM EST
    Hey Bashdj - why do you Canadians keep crossing our borders for healthcare procedures? If Canada has such a great system, why not get all your procedures done in your own country?
    Reply to this comment
    by reveal4 November 8, 2009 3:46 PM EST
    The myth of Canadians flocking across the border for american healthcare is an urban myth. Some folks buy it hook, line, and sinker.
    by reveal4 November 8, 2009 3:39 PM EST
    Canadian style, single payer, universal healthcare has nothing to do with the planned healthcare reform legislation in the United States. For those who can understand the truth...Single payer has not, is not, and will not be considered as part of health insurance reform in the United States. Period.
    Reply to this comment
    by bashdj November 8, 2009 3:11 PM EST
    Thank god I live in Canada!

    Universal health care may have it's problems but it sure gives you piece of mind and nobody loses their savings and home if they get sick
    ....nobody!

    For those who think people die in Canada because of wait times, I'll wager to you that ALOT more die in the States because of the health industries greed.

    You don't think you have rationed care from insurance companies....wake up people!
    Reply to this comment
    by reveal4 November 8, 2009 3:15 PM EST
    bashdj....You are lucky..About 20% of Americans on the far right are just nuts. They can not comprehend simple fact and truth and will fight against the truth till their dying day. Perhaps because they haven't had enough healthcare. The folks on the right will never wake up! They are in a permanent, inescapable,antiintellectual, coma.
    by jbaker314 November 8, 2009 3:25 PM EST
    bashdj - Having travelled in Canada, become ill, been treated by two (2) grossly incompetent doctors, and then had to return to the US, where a general practitioner diagnosed the problem and had me back on my feet on two (2) days, I will forego your universal healthcare. If I had remained in Canada for another week, I would likely have died. No thanks!
    by ddaryl1 November 8, 2009 3:44 PM EST
    jbaker314

    you lie, you lie, you lie...
    by bigmac456 November 8, 2009 10:40 PM EST
    You forget to mention about the wait times, bashdj. Canadian "free" health care works great, until you need it at least. I live on the border. We have Canadians paying cash here for healthcare because they're sick of waiting.

    And your comment on "health industry greed" is equally nonsense. On average, U.S. health insurers operate with a 2.2% profit margin. Molson/Coors beer had a 2008 profit margin of 8.1%. Why don't you ramble about the need for government beer while you're at it.

    Health care is expensive because the costs are high DUH! Things like tort reform and interstate competition would drive costs downward but Pelosi won't step on those toes.
    by bashdj November 8, 2009 11:08 PM EST
    bigmac456

    You must sell health insurance,lol

    Whatever you want to spout remember this...the numbers consistantly say that the US spends more on health care and gets less for it. And the US is the only industrialized nation that doesn't have universal health care.

    The opponents of health care reform are just being the spokes people for the health industry. They've worked hard and spent alot of money to scare you.
    by reveal4 November 8, 2009 2:59 PM EST
    The public option will cover about 2% of high risk individuals. These folks will be removed from the private sector insurance rolls. The other 98% of Americans will be covered by private insurance . The public option will cost slightly more than private insurance. Therefore, private mindividuals who are healthy will be disincentivized from buying the public option insurance. This will lower costs for private sector insurance plans, according to the CBO. Of course, the right wingers will not be able to understand this. Rush and Shaun and Glenn Beck are not saying this. So here is just some more info for the right wingers to ignore so they can pretend they know what the heck they are talking about.
    Reply to this comment
    by msherer November 8, 2009 2:56 PM EST
    The big beef with universal health care is that we can't afford it. In the sphere of public education, teacher salaries are limited by the public's ability to pay. How about the same thing in the sphere of health care. If you're earning more than (pick a generous figure) in the health care industry (including health insurance and malpractice lawyers), you are taxed at approaching 100% for earnings above the cap. I admire and respect doctors for their skill and expertise, but I don't think they deserve to be paid multiples of what we pay teachers, soldiers, policemen, firemen and others who perform in the service of the public good. Just as in the financial services area, greed corruption and stupidity has invited and even necessitated government regulation of health care. It's fine to debate what those regulations should be, but we're way past arguing that the health industry can be self-regulating.
    Reply to this comment
    by bigmac456 November 8, 2009 10:55 PM EST
    Talk about a recipe for disaster. What sane person would go into a profession that takes a decade of higher education, accumulate student loans well into six figures, then get paid the same as someone with a 4 year degree?

    Then, just in case there still are students dumb enough to go ahead with it, you propose confiscating any amount of income after a set level. Doctors aren't as stupid as you seem to think. After February, they'll all take a 10 month vacation for the year.

    Put some thought in before you post.
    See all 219 Comments

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