After the successful passage of the new Health Care Law which aims to have lower costs of health insurance accessible to most Americans, recent reports show that permits to operate of 60 hospitals are in danger of cancellation due to this newly passed Health Care Law.

Accordingly, one of the provisions of this new Health Care Law is that it prevents doctor-owned hospitals from adding more rooms and more beds. The new rules specifically mentioned under Title VI, Section 6001 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act make new physician-owned projects ineligible to receive payments for Medicare and Medicaid patients.

With this, “more than 60 doctor-owned hospitals across the country that were in the development stage will be cancelled. The existing hospitals are greatly affected. They can’t grow. They can’t add beds. They can’t add rooms. Basically, it stifles their ability to change and meet market needs. This is really an unfortunate thing as well, because we are talking about some of the best hospitals in the country,”said Molly Sandvig, executive director of Physician Hospitals of America (PHA).

This is one the many drawbacks of the new Health Care Law. This will definitely hinder employment growth in a country already stricken with high unemployment rate. I think we need some more revisions to the new Health Care Law.

USA got their New Health Care Bill now and everyone must admit that only few was about to decipher its meaning and contents. If you’re one them, don’t worry, you still belong to the majority. The thousand paged bill has not been understood by all. If you dare to read it page by page, you can do so. But I bet after you read it, you were not able to understand it because of its bureaucratic contents.

I was able to stumble upon a CNN report summarizing it on only in 5 topics.

1. Health insurance companies can’t discriminate against you because you have a pre-existing condition – before you can apply for an insurance premium, there has been a part there in the application form asking for details of illnesses or health conditions present in you and those having one are not allowed to apply. This is before, but the with the New Health Care Bill, it would be gone. No more discriminations for applicants having pre-existing conditions. This could be a disadvantage to insurance companies though.

2. Young people can remain on parents’ insurance until age 26 – in increases the range though. Not all young people can find job that offers health insurance. Before, insurances companies are excluding children from their parents’ insurance as early their 19th birthday.

3. You could get a subsidy to buy insurance if you make less than $88,000 per year for a family of four – this assistance depends on you income, marital status and location you are living. There would be calculations for his one.

4. If you don’t get insurance from your employer, that might change – companies having 50 employees or more are required to offer a health or else fines would be imposed to them.

5. The health care reform legislation has some benefits for senior citizens, but it might have some disadvantages as well – as covered by the Bill, senior citizens will have free preventive screenings such as for cancer and diabetes. Another thing is that, there would no more cut off in their coverage once they reach beyond $2,830 on prescription drugs. However, the expenditure for Medicare Beneficiaries would have 2% or less each from 4% they receive previously.

Understanding the 5 topics could somehow contribute a lot to your confused mind. Basically it covers majority of the entire contents of the bill.

The decades of debate over the issue of health care did not end when the new Health Care Reform Bill was passed into law. Even with its passage in the House of Representatives, different people have their own views on this new Health Care Reform Bill. In fact, 34 Democrats who supposedly voted for a ‘yes’, instead voted for a ‘no’ in the final vote results.

Every bill or law has its own pros and cons. It may be beneficial for others but it may also be detrimental for some. With different views about its good and bad effects, people must aim for the “lesser evil” for the betterment of the majority of Americans. With the passage of this new Health Care Reform Bill, do you think that the pros outnumber the cons?

Obama explained in its signing ceremony at the White House that “this legislation will not fix everything that ails our health care system, but it moves us decisively in the right direction. This is what change looks like.” Having known Obama for its political campaign “Yes we can”, will the passage of this new Health Care Reform Bill be the neccessary change that Americans need?

Will this $940 billion new Health Care Reform Bill be beneficial to the majority of Americans? Let’s try to get straight to some of the facts as we try to explain the pros and cons of this new Health Care Reform Bill:

New Health Care Bill Facts – The PROS:

1. Probably the most beneficial fact that this new Health Care Reform Bill brings is that pre-existing conditions are now banned and abolished among health insurance contracts.

2. In addition, with the passage of this new Health Care Reform Bill, the sum insured or limited caps among health insurance contracts will be abolished and banned.

3. Extension of parents’ health insurance to their children who are young adults will rise up to the age of 27. This means more and more young adults will get beneficial health insurance coverage from their parents’ coverage until they reached the age of 27.

4. Small businesses with fewer than 50 employees will get subsidies in the form of tax credits to help cover the health insurance premiums of their employees.

5. The passage of this new Health Care Reform Bill is beneficial to drug and biotech companies since they will suddenly have additional tens of millions more insured customers who can afford their expensive medicines.

New Health Care Bill Facts – The CONS:

1. If you are young and healthy individual and want to pay for health insurance that reflects that status, you’ll now have to shoulder and pay for health insurance premiums that cover not only you but also for people who are unhealthy – the guy who smokes three packs a day, the guy who drinks a gallon of whiskey etc.

That’s because health insurance companies will no longer be able to underwrite on the basis of a person’s health status.

2. If you are geared towards aestethics and would want to go for cosmetic surgery, you will to pay an additional 5% tax on the cost of the procedure with the passage of this new Health Care Reform Bill.

3. As the new Health Care Reform Bill promises to benefit millions of poor American individuals, the rich and wealthy Americans get affected. Under this new Health Care Reform Bill, there’s a 0.9% increase in Medicare payroll taxes for Americans who earn more than $200,000 annually individually and $250,000 for couples.

That amount will rise to a 3.8% tax if reconciliation passes. It will also apply to investment income, estates, and trusts.

4. To minimize costs, young and healthy American individuals before can decide not to avail health insurance and instead use their funds to start small business. However, with the passage of this new Health Care Reform Bill, if they decided not to avail it, they have to pay $750 annually.

5. Under this new Health Care Reform Bill, Americans must buy a health insurance policy that covers “ambulatory patient services, emergency services, hospitalization, maternity and newborn care, mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment; prescription drugs; rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices; laboratory services; preventive and wellness services; chronic disease management; and pediatric services, including oral and vision care.”

They no longer have the luxury to choose which particular coverage the policy covers for a less premium. What if you’re a single guy without children? Still, your health insurance policy must have pediatric services coverage. What if you’re a woman who can’t have a baby? Still, your health insurance policy must have maternity services.

Here are some more facts about this new Health Care Bill on government extractions:

1. The US government will extract a fee of $2.3 billion annually from the pharmaceutical industry. If you are a pharmaceutical company what you will pay depends on the ratio of the number of brand-name drugs you sell to the total number of brand-name drugs sold in the U.S. So, if you sell 10% of the brand-name drugs in the U.S., what you pay will be 10% multiplied by $2.3 billion, or $230,000,000. (Under reconciliation, it starts at $2.55 billion, jumps to $3 billion in 2012, then to $3.5 billion in 2017 and $4.2 billion in 2018, before settling at $2.8 billion in 2019.

2. The US government will extract a fee of $2 billion annually from medical device makers. If you are a medical device maker what you will pay depends on your share of medical device sales in the U.S. So, if you sell 10% of the medical devices in the U.S., what you pay will be 10% multiplied by $2 billion, or $200,000,000.

3. The US government will extract a fee of $6.7 billion annually from insurance companies. If you are an insurer, what you will pay depends on your share of net premiums plus 200% of your administrative costs. So, if your net premiums and administrative costs are equal to 10% of the total, you will pay 10% of $6.7 billion, or $670,000,000. In the reconciliation bill, the fee will start at $8 billion in 2014, $11.3 billion in 2015, $1.9 billion in 2017, and $14.3 billion in 2018.

What do you think of this new Health Care Bill? Is it really beneficial to the “majority” of the Americans? Will it be beneficial in the long run?

Share your opinions by commenting into our growing list of comments here.

With the recent passage of the new Health Care Reform Bill into law, a lot of Americans are left asking themselves “what is in the Health Care Reform Bill?”

Does the pros outnumber the cons? Will this new Health Care Reform Bill be really beneficial to the Americans or will it be detrimental in the long run given the huge amount of expenses involved, which is pegged at $940 billion? To answer these questions, let’s examine it by having a Health Care Reform Bill Summary.

In this summary, several features of this new Health Care Reform Bill will be discussed to inform the average Americans about this new Health Care Reform Bill recently signed into law by President Obama.

Health Care Reform Bill Summary:

1. Uninsured Americans will get the most benefit out of it. With this Health Care Reform Bill now passed into law, health insurance firms won’t be able to deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions.

Sounds good news? Not really. Americans who decided not to get health insurance will have to pay a penalty fee of $695 per year or 2.5% of income (phased in before 2016)

2. Drug and Biotech companies will also benefit a lot in the passage of this new Health care Reform Bill into law. They will suddenly have additional tens of millions more insured customers who can afford their expensive medicines.

3. For senior citizens, the so-called “Medicare Donut Hole” is now closed upon the passage of this bill. However, for those who are not yet considered as ‘senior’, health insurance firms can no longer deny Americans because of age.

4. Americans who have existing health insurance may probably see their premiums go up. This is especially true if you purchase your own health insurance but don’t qualify for any of the new subsidies brought by this new Health Care Reform Bill.

5. As the new Health Care Reform Bill promises to benefit millions of poor American individuals, the rich and wealthy Americans get affected. Under this new Health Care Reform Bill, there’s a 0.9% increase in Medicare payroll taxes for Americans who earn more than $200,000 annually individually and $250,000 for couples.

6. Given the huge expenses of the US Government, they are more likely be of control in the health insurance industry. With this, they can have easy access to private and confidential information among patients.

7. Small businesses with fewer than 50 employees will get subsidies in the form of tax credits to help cover the health insurance premiums of their employees.

8. Extension of parents’ health insurance to their children who are young adults will rise up to the age of 27. This means more and more young adults will get beneficial health insurance coverage from their parents’ coverage until they reached the age of 27.

9. Are you worried in the sum insured or lifetime caps of health insurance contracts? With the passage of this new Health Care Reform Bill, this will be abolished and banned. In addition, annual caps will be limited, and banned in the year 2014.

10. Since the US Government will be more likely be of control in the health insurance industry, chec and balance among health insurance firms will be monitored to avoid health insurance fraud and waste.

What do you think of this new Health Care Reform Bill? Whether you’re pro or against it, share your opinions and read others’ comments too in our mini discussion here.

Millions of supporters of the new Heallth Care Reform Bill are now rejoicing as the proposed health care bill was finally signed by US President Obama to become a law today in the East Room of the White House.

Accordingly, a happy Obama signed the health care bill into law today in a White House ceremony marking a historical event of the expansion of health insurance coverage.

Obama said: “Today, after almost a century of trying — today, after over a year of debate — today, after all the votes have been tallied, health insurance reform becomes law in the United States of America.”

In his speech, Obama thanked several persons which were instrumental in pushing this health care bill that includes his mother who had an argument with several insurance companies before she died of Cancer.

However, things won’t be easy for Obama as 13 US States filed lawsuits minutes after he signed the health care bill into law. These 13 states demanded to fix and amend some clauses in the health care bill that includes the mandatory requirement that all Americans should buy health insurance or else face financial penalties, among others.

The lawsuit was filed at Pensacola just 7 minutes after Obama signed the new health care bill to become a law with Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum as the leader of the group joined together by several attorneys general from 12 other states which includes South Carolina, Nebraska, Texas, Michigan, Utah, Pennsylvania, Alabama, South Dakota, Idaho, Washington, Colorado, and Louisiana.

What’s the likelihood of success of these 13 lawsuits filed against the Federal Government? Well, according to some legal experts, its success is very little because “under the Constitution, federal laws trump state laws”.

What do you think of this new health care bill that was just signed into law today? Participate in our mini discussion by leaving your comments here.

The Health Care Reform Bill was just passed by the House of Representatives. I am very sure that Democrats, headed by US President Obama, are rejoicing as of now as their proposed Health Care Bill is now on its way to the Senate for finality before Obama affixes his signature on it to become a law.

We all know that there was a lot of debate done by both Democrats and Republicans surrounding this new Health Care Bill before it was passed. Accordingly, Democrats would need a total vote record of 216 to win the case and for the House of Representatives to pass the Health Care Bill.

Having said that, the final vote record before the Health Care Bill was passed was 219 – 212 in favor of course for the Democrats surpassing the 216 needed votes to win. 34 Democrats voted for a “no” while all 178 Republicans voted for the same giving a total vote record for “no” of 212.

In addition, The House of Representatives also registered a vote record of 220-211 to support a “reconciliation” bill aimed to “fix” provisions in the Health Care Bill that many House Democrats opposed.

After the reconciliation, the Health Care Reform Bill will now go to the Senate for another debate which is expected to be held on Tuesday, after which, Obama would sign it to become a law.

Well, let’s just hope that they would provide the public with the full text of the Health Care Bill for us to take a closer look into it. I’ve heard that it’s more than 2,000 pages all in all.

The much talked about issue in USA today is the New Health Care Bill. It made the whole country stop for a while and they all watched the Representatives a while ago for it to be passed. The voting is over and the bill went through the House.

There has been speculations on what is this bill all about, what it covers, what are its good side and as usual and as always its bad side. The bill would cover a lot of individuals including those who already have illnesses, as to the insurance companies, it is somewhat unfair. They would be expecting losses especially for those who have pre-existing conditions. For those who are less likely be experiencing diseases, it is also unfair because they can’t use the insurance that much, though sickness is really unpredictable, it really pays to be ready.

Another thing that it brings is that the fine that they would be imposing for those who don’t have insurance 4 years from now. The fine would cost $695. The bill somewhat became compulsory. If there would be fines for non compliance, the tendency for this one is flooding of clients, could the insurance companies keep up with it, especially when most of the clients have pre-existing conditions.

The country would then be spending a lot of money for this. As the mostly said statement in the House awhile ago says, ” We would be spending money that we don’t have.”

The Americans are just hoping that the good side of the bill will out weigh the bad side. They are hoping that the bill wold be implemented well.

With the recent passage of the proposed Health Care Reform Bill in the House of Representatives, a lot of Americans are now looking for the explanation of the pros and cons of this new health care bill. They are asking themselves: “What does the health care bill mean to me?”

How can you explain the Obama Health Care Plan? Well, we all know that most Democrats agreed and voted “yes” to this new health care bill on the ground that it will help a lot of Americans with their health insurance costs.

In contrast, Republicans voted for a “no” simply because they claim that this Health Care Reform Bill is so expensive that it may hinder the growth of the US economy given that the total expenses of the US Government is pegged at $940 billion.

So given the contrasting ideas of both Democrats and Republicans in this Health Care Reform Bill, what are the pros and cons of this new health care bill to the millions of ordinary Americans? Let’s enumerate some of them.

Health Care Bill PROS:

1. Discrimination of health insurance companies will be eliminated. No more pre-existing conditions clauses in health insurance contracts.

2. Given the fact that millions of Americans will be insured by this new health care bill, the US Government can negotiate among health insurance firms to lower the premiums of their health insurance. This would mean less health insurance costs for a lot of Americans.

3. Tax credit will be given to those Americans who still cannot afford to avail health insurance to help them to have one.

4. Stiff competition among health insurance firms will possibly result to much lower insurance costs and more quality health insurance products and services.

5. Aside from the elimination of pre-existing conditions stated above, the coverage amount or sum insured will also be waived by health insurers.

Health Care Bill CONS:

1. Given the huge amount of expenses pegged at $940 billion in a spread of about 10 years, it might slow down the growth of heavily burdened US economy.

2. Insurance Availment Mandate. You have no choice but to get a health insurance. Otherwise, you will be subjected to a 2% tax increase which will be used to subsidize the insurance costs of other Americans. Healthy people who take care of themselves will have to pay for the burden of those who smoke, are obese, etc.

3. There will be a tax increase on people with very high income. If you are making more than half a million per annum, you will have about a 1% tax increase.

4. The US Government will have more control in the health insurance industry causing patients’ confidentiality to be more likely compromised since centralized health information will likely be maintained by the government.

5. Chances of bribery may possibly increase as health care equipment, drugs, and services may end up being rationed by the government.

Finally, after the rigorous debate on the proposed Health Care Bill by US President Obama, the said Health Care Bill was finally approved by the House of Representatives.

Republicans debate focuses on the the fact that this Health Care Bill will have a negative impact on the budget deficit of the US economy. With huge health care expenses to cover almost all Americans, the US government is about to spend at least $940 billion over the span of 10 years.

However, Democrats simply want to push through with the said Health Care Bill since it will give a lot of benefits to those uninsured individuals which includes lowered health care insurance costs, elimination of pre existing conditions, tax benefits, etc .

Republicans’ and Democrats’ long debate finally came into a conclusion when the final tally of the votes for the $940 billion proposed Health Care Bill end. The results of the votes were 219-212 in favor of the Democrats and so the much awaited Health Care Bill was finally passed in the House of Representatives.

In addition, The House of Representatives also voted 220-211 to support a “reconciliation” bill aimed to “fix” provisions in the Senate Health Care Bill that many House Democrats opposed but viewed as better than nothing.  After the debate on the House of Representatives, the Health Care Reform Bill will now go to the Senate for another debate which is expected to be held on Tuesday, after which, Obama would sign it to become a law.

The Health Care Reform Bill was a success for Obama. In his address in the White House, Obama reiterates that passing the Health Care Bill “proves government still works for people.”

Americans are now facing and watching only one topic in their local televisions. Even when they search the internet, the Health Care Reform Bill is very popular. As an American who happens to be the recipient of this bill, you might be wondering what is it all about. Even the world is so eager to know its contents and what this bill is offering. From the name itself, Health Care REFORM Bill, basically there has been contents from the previous Health Care Bill that has been changed.

If you would try to look at it, just like any other bills or documents of law, the bill is 1,017 pages long and written in in the form of bureaucratic English that can only lawmakers could understand. Translating it in layman’s term could be of much help.

As search for it, I came to see this one site having few translation of the significant sections of the Bill. The following interpretation is done by the author of the site and is not the official translation.

From CMS freerepublic.com

Page 16: States that if you have insurance at the time of the bill becoming law and change, you will be required to take a similar plan. If that is not available, you will be required to take the gov option!
• Page 22: Mandates audits of all employers that self-insure!
• Page 29: Admission: your health care will be rationed!
• Page 30: A government committee will decide what treatments and benefits you get (and, unlike an insurer, there will be no appeals process)
• Page 42: The “Health Choices Commissioner” will decide health benefits for you. You will have no choice. None.
• Page 50: All non-US citizens, illegal or not, will be provided with free healthcare services.
• Page 58: Every person will be issued a National ID Healthcard.
• Page 59: The federal government will have direct, real-time access to all individual bank accounts for electronic funds transfer.
• Page 65: Taxpayers will subsidize all union retiree and community organizer health plans (example: SEIU, UAW and ACORN)
• Page 72: All private healthcare plans must conform to government rules to participate in a Healthcare Exchange.
• Page 84: All private healthcare plans must participate in the Healthcare Exchange (i.e., total government control of private plans)
• Page 91: Government mandates linguistic infrastructure for services; translation: illegal aliens
• Page 95: The Government will pay ACORN and Americorps to sign up individuals for Government-run Health Care plan.
• Page 102: Those eligible for Medicaid will be automatically enrolled: you have no choice in the matter.
• Page 124: No company can sue the government for price-fixing. No “judicial review” is permitted against the government monopoly. Put simply, private insurers will be crushed.
• Page 127: The AMA sold doctors out: the government will set wages.
• Page 145: An employer MUST auto-enroll employees into the government-run public plan. No alternatives.
• Page 126: Employers MUST pay healthcare bills for part-time employees AND their families.
• Page 149: Any employer with a payroll of $400K or more, who does not offer the public option, pays an 8% tax on payroll <>BR • Page 150: Any employer with a payroll of $250K-400K or more, who does not offer the public option, pays a 2 to 6% tax on payroll
• Page 167: Any individual who doesnt’ have acceptable healthcare (according to the government) will be taxed 2.5% of income.
• Page 170: Any NON-RESIDENT alien is exempt from individual taxes (Americans will pay for them).
• Page 195: Officers and employees of Government Healthcare Bureaucracy will have access to ALL American financial and personal records.
• Page 203: “The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax.” Yes, it really says that.
• Page 239: Bill will reduce physician services for Medicaid. Seniors and the poor most affected.”
• Page 241: Doctors: no matter what speciality you have, you’ll all be paid the same (thanks, AMA!)
• Page 253: Government sets value of doctors’ time, their professional judgment, etc.
• Page 265: Government mandates and controls productivity for private healthcare industries.
• Page 268: Government regulates rental and purchase of power-driven wheelchairs.
• Page 272: Cancer patients: welcome to the wonderful world of rationing!
• Page 280: Hospitals will be penalized for what the government deems preventable re-admissions.
• Page 298: Doctors: if you treat a patient during an initial admission that results in a readmission, you will be penalized by the government.
• Page 317: Doctors: you are now prohibited for owning and investing in healthcare companies!
• Page 318: Prohibition on hospital expansion. Hospitals cannot expand without government approval.
• Page 321: Hospital expansion hinges on “community” input: in other words, yet another payoff for ACORN.
• Page 335: Government mandates establishment of outcome-based measures: i.e., rationing.
• Page 341: Government has authority to disqualify Medicare Advantage Plans, HMOs, etc.
• Page 354: Government will restrict enrollment of SPECIAL NEEDS individuals.
• Page 379: More bureaucracy: Telehealth Advisory Committee (healthcare by phone).
• Page 425: More bureaucracy: Advance Care Planning Consult: Senior Citizens, assisted suicide, euthanasia?
• Page 425: Government will instruct and consult regarding living wills, durable powers of attorney, etc. Mandatory. Appears to lock in estate taxes ahead of time.
• Page 425: Goverment provides approved list of end-of-life resources, guiding you in death.
• Page 427: Government mandates program that orders end-of-life treatment; government dictates how your life ends.
• Page 429: Advance Care Planning Consult will be used to dictate treatment as patient’s health deteriorates. This can include an ORDER for end-of-life plans. An ORDER from the GOVERNMENT.
• Page 430: Government will decide what level of treatments you may have at end-of-life.
• Page 469: Community-based Home Medical Services: more payoffs for ACORN.
• Page 472: Payments to Community-based organizations: more payoffs for ACORN.
• Page 489: Government will cover marriage and family therapy. Government intervenes in your marriage.
• Page 494: Government will cover mental health services: defining, creating and rationing those services.

The above interpretations are just personal interpretations by the author of the site it was taken. As to my personal point of view, some of its contents have positive implications yet some of it are alarming. We really don’t know the contents of the bill, if you do so, you may post it in our comment box.