THEY PASSED THE HEALTHCARE BILL YAY!! Wait...what does that actually mean?

Unless you are totally obsessed with yourself and your own world, I'm sure you have heard all of the commotion about Obamacare. Yes I said it. The 1990 page document has been reviewed and passed. But what's really in this bill? I've listened to Obama talk about his plans for healthcare and how this bill would change it for the better. However, we all know you can NOT trust any information other than your own. So I decided to download this document and read EVERY word of it.

I know my own learning style and I came up with a plan to read 15 pages per day and write a blog about what they contain so that you as well can be in the know. Whether you supported this bill or not, knowing what it's all about may change your views.

Please, Please, Please leave comments about what you think. There is NO judgement in this blog, so whatever your views..STATE THEM!

YOU READY??

PAGES 1 - 10:

The bill begins by stating the objective and purpose.

"To provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes."

The bill was introduced by 7 people in the House of Representatives. For those who don't REALLY know what the House of Representatives is.....

"The United States House of Representatives, commonly referred to as the "House," is the lower house of the bicameral United States Congress, the upper house being the United States Senate. The composition and powers of the House and the Senate are established in Article One of the Constitution (which does not use the terms "upper" and "lower"). Each state receives representation in the House in proportion to its population but is entitled to at least one Representative. The most populous state, California, currently has 53 representatives. The total number of voting representatives is currently fixed by law at 435.^[1] Each representative serves for a two-year term. The presiding officer of the House is the speaker, and is elected by the members of the House.

The Constitution grants the House several exclusive powers: the power to initiate revenue bills, to impeach officials, and to elect the president in case of an Electoral College deadlock.^[2]

The House meets in the south wing of the United States Capitol." <---- Source: Wikipedia

So who are these people??

1. Congressman John D. Dingell:  Congressman John D. Dingell represents Michigan’s 15th Congressional District and is the Chairman Emeritus of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, one of five ‘exclusive’ committees in the U.S. House. During the 111th Congress, he has the lead role in crafting national health insurance legislation that goes before this Committee and the House.  On the Committee, he also works on energy and climate change issues, telecommunications and consumer protection policy, and conducts oversight and investigations. Dingell serves the people of Monroe County and parts of Wayne and Washtenaw Counties. His work includes fighting for the working families that keep America's economy going, including making health care more affordable and accessible to all families and protecting our nation's natural heritage. On February 11, 2009, Congressman Dingell became the longest serving Member in the history of the U.S. House of Representatives.

2. Congressman Charles B. Rangel: Charles Bernard Rangel has left an indelible imprint on history, this year marking his 20th term in the House of Representatives and second term as chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee. The first African American to head that longstanding panel, Congressman Rangel presides over tax revenue legislation and commands oversight authority over the major issues of the day – economic policy, international trade, welfare, Social Security, Medicare, and health care. Congressman Rangel won his district – which includes his native Central Harlem, East Harlem, the Upper West Side, and Washington Heights – with 88 percent of the vote in November.

3. Henry A. Waxman: Representative Henry A. Waxman represents California's 30th Congressional District, which includes the cities of Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Malibu, Westlake Village and West Hollywood, as well as such areas of Los Angeles as Beverly-Fairfax, Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, Beverlywood, Topanga, Agoura, Chatsworth, West Hills, Canoga Park, and Westwood. Rep. Waxman has sponsored a long list of health bills that have been enacted into law. These measures include the Ryan White CARE Act, the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act, the Breast and Cervical Cancer Mortality Prevention Act, the Safe Medical Devices Act, the Patent Term Restoration and Drug Competition Act, and the Orphan Drug Act.

4. Congressman George Miller: Congressman George Miller is chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee and chairman of the Democratic Policy Committee, a leadership position. George is a leading advocate in Congress on education, labor, the economy, and the environment. He has represented the 7th District of California in the East Bay of San Francisco since 1975. His district includes portions of Contra Costa and Solano counties, including Richmond, Concord, Martinez, Pittsburg, Benicia, Vallejo and Vacaville. He is a life-long Democrat and Californian. Among George’s top priorities in Congress are strengthening and growing America’s middle class and ensuring economic growth that creates good jobs that stay in this country. He is a leader in the effort to protect Americans’ retirement and health security, to further innovation in technology, science and education, to reduce global warming, and to make college more affordable and k-12 public schools more successful.

5. Congressman Pete Stark: Congressman Pete Stark has served in Congress since 1973. A senior member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, he is currently the Chairman of its Health Subcommittee. Stark previously served as the subcommittee's Ranking Minority Member from 1995 to 2006 and as its Chairman from 1985 to 1994. Stark champions universal health care, and speaks out for peace, freedom of choice, and protecting our environment. He is a tireless advocate for children, families, senior citizens, and people with disabilities, as well as the residents of the 13th Congressional District.

6. Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr.: On January 6, Frank Pallone, Jr. was officially sworn in for his 11th full term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Pallone represents New Jersey’s Sixth Congressional District, which covers most of Middlesex County, as well as the Bayshore and oceanfront areas of Monmouth County, the township of Plainfield in Union County and Franklin in Somerset County. In the 111th Congress, Pallone continues to serve as a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over issues pertaining to energy, environment, health care, commerce and telecommunications.

7. Congressman Robert E. Andrews: On November 4th, 2008, Congressman Rob Andrews received more votes than anyone elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in the history of the State of New Jersey. He received a total of 206,453 votes, surpassing the previous record which was also set by Congressman Andrews. He has represented the residents of the First Congressional District of New Jersey, which includes Burlington, Camden and Gloucester Counties, since he was first elected to the House in 1990. Throughout his eleven terms in Congress, Congressman Andrews has worked to create and retain good jobs in South Jersey. Thousands of jobs have either been created or retained through the Rob’s work. One example of this job creation is the Applied Communications and Information Networking (ACIN) project in the city of Camden. His work facilitated the creation of hundreds of high tech jobs at ACIN, and he coordinates with company leaders on an ongoing basis to build and expand smart, future-oriented economic growth for South Jersey. Congressman Andrews also recently secured millions of federal dollars to create an alternative energy program at Maguire Air force Base, which will apply renewable fuel biomass technology to defense applications and eventually create over 1000 jobs.

A list of General Definitions is given next. This is great for those (like me) that don't always understand every term mentioned in a health care plan.

1. Acceptable Coverage :

1. Qualified Health Benefits Plan Coverage - Coverage under a qualified health benefits plan.

2. Grandfathered Health Insurance Coverage; Coverage under current group health plan. (more explanation later)

3. Medicare - Coverage under part A of title XVIII of the Social Security Act

4. Medicaid - Coverage for medical assistance under title XIX of the Social Security Act, excluding such coverage that is only available because of the application of subsection (u), (z), or (aa) of section 1902 of such Act.

5.  Member of the Armed Forces and Dependents (including tricare).

6. VA -  Coverage under the veteran's health care program.

7. Other Coverage - Such other health benefits coverage, such as a State health benefits risk pool, as the Commissioner, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury.

2. Basic Plan: A basic plan shall offer the essential benefits package required under title I for a qualified heatlh benefits plan (more on this later in the document)

3. Commissioner: The term "Commissioner" means the Health Choices Commissioner established under section 141.

4. Cost-Sharing: The term "cost-sharing" includes deductibles, coinsurance, copayments, and similar charges but does not include premiums or any network payment differential for covered services or spending for non-covered services.

5. Dependent: The term "dependent" has the meaning given such term by the Commissioner and includes a spouse.

6. Employment-Based Health Plan: a group health plan; and includes such a plan that could be Federal, state and tribal governmental plans or church plans.

7. Enhanced Plan: The level of cost-sharing for enhanced plans shall be designed so that such plans have benefits that are actuarially equivalent to approximately 85 percent of the actuarial value of the benefits provided under the reference benefits package described in section 122(c)(3)(B).

8: Essential Benefits Package: A qualified health benefits plan shall provide coverage that at least meets the benefit standards adopted under section 124 for the essential benefits package described in section 122 for the plan year involved.

9. Family: an individual and includes the individual's dependents.

10. Federal Poverty Level: The term `poverty line' means the official poverty line defined by the Office of Management and Budget based on the most recent data available from the Bureau of the Census. The Secretary shall revise annually (or at any shorter interval the Secretary determines to be feasible and desirable) the poverty line, which
shall be used as a criterion of eligibility in the community services block grant program established under this subtitle. The required revision shall be accomplished by multiplying the official poverty line by the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers during the annual or other interval immediately preceding the time at which the revision is made. Whenever a State determines that it serves the objectives of the block grant program established under this subtitle, the State may revise the poverty line to not to exceed 125 percent of the official poverty
line otherwise applicable under this paragraph.

**This was found in the "Community Services Block Grant Act**

11. Health Benefits Plan: health insurance coverage and an employment-based health plan and includes the public health insurance option.

12. Health Insurance Coverage; Health Insurance Issuer: The term ‘‘health insurance coverage’’ means benefits consisting of medical care (provided directly, through insurance or reimbursement, or otherwise and including items and services paid for as medical care) under any hospital or medical service policy or certificate, hospital or medical service plan contract, or health maintenance organization contract offered by a health insuranceissuer.

**Found in The Public Health Service Act page 1209 section 2791**
 

Are you still with me?? :0)