Obama Health Plan
The House of Representatives approved the U.S. 7 Nov. for the first time in U.S. history a bill that would establish a system of almost universal health. Although the vast majority of Democrats in that House, the result was very tight, since the project received 220 votes, just two more than necesarios.Votaron against 176 Republicans supported it only one-and 39 Democrats moderate guidance, most conservative districts in the south.
The proposal intends to extend the coverage to 36 million Americans without health insurance of more than 46 million who lacked it in 2008, according to the latest data from the Census Bureau.
That means that if the bill ever becomes law 96 percent of Americans have health care insurance, a number never reached before.
People might be forced to pay the bills to private insurers or public plan, with the help of subsidies, under penalty of fines.
The plan also prohibits private insurers refuse to issuing a new policy for persons suffering from any illness, something they do now and that is a disaster for many Americans who get a serious illness when they are uninsured.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PLAN
COVERAGE
- Expand health insurance to 36 million Americans who lack it. The number of people without health insurance reached 46.3 million in 2008.
- Creates a public insurance plan, which compete with private ones. According to the Congressional Budget Office, six million people will choose that option.
- Prohibits private insurers refuse to extend a policy to people suffering an illness, or charge more for certain people according to their medical records.
- Allows children under 27 years to retain the health insurance coverage from their parents.
- Expand the Medicaid program, aimed at the poor. An estimated 15 million additional people may join it, a figure included in the 36 million Americans who receive coverage under the plan.
- Gives grants to citizens for the insurance payment.
OBLIGATIONS AND PENALTIES
- Force the Americans to take out health insurance. Those who do not have to pay a tax of 2.5 percent of their income.
- Most companies have to provide health coverage to their employees and pay at least 72 percent of the cost to workers alone and 65 percent for those with families.
- Small businesses are exempt from that requirement, but will receive tax credits to help pay insurance to their employees if they do.
- Companies with higher staff costs half a million dollars a year that do not provide health coverage to their employees will face penalties of between 2 and 8 per cent of wages.
COST
The expansion of government programs under the project will cost over a trillion dollars over 10 years. However, if you count what was collected in fines, the total value will be 894,000 million, according to Democrats.
FINANCING
Democrats maintain that the final bill will not cost anything to the public purse through spending cuts in the Medicare program for the elderly, and that includes tax increases.
- Apply a 5.4 percent tax on those earning more than $ 500,000 a year on their revenues exceeding that amount. This tax will mean a collection of 460,500 million dollars in ten years.
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