Introduction
Recently, the United States Congress passed the health care reform bill, popularly known as Obama’s health care bill, the bill that President Obama signed into law days some days later. Indeed, this is one major milestone towards reforming America pending the fact that approximately 48 million Americans were either under covered or had no healthcare insurance. Nevertheless, the question that stands tall is what the bill contains. It is imperative to note that the passage of the bill involved wrangling from what appeared as proposition and opposition sides of the Health Care Reform bill. Many Republican Congress representatives opposed the bill saying that it would babysit the less industrious Americans on top of adding more taxes. As for my case, I will make some slight amendments, which I perceive are very necessary to all Americans. The paper summarizes the most important provisions of Obama’s Health Care Program; provisions that will steer changes in the healthcare sector over the next ten years; provisions that will see all Americans access affordable and quality healthcare services. Nevertheless, I would like to suggest some alterations within the provisions of the bill, which will occur in five major phases namely changes happening in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2018 (Smith, p.1).
2010 Changes
In 2010, Obama’s Health Care bill proposes an insurance cover to all persons under the age of 26. These persons, considered children, will receive healthcare services under the insurance plans of their parents. Additionally, any health insurance company that fails to cover children will be subject to interdiction. All medical recipients will receive a sum of $250 to compensate the doughnut hole until 2020. The provisions also propose medical coverage for riskier health insurance pools to all adults already covered, something that will continue until the new healthcare exchanges come into effect fully. Furthermore, there will be no more yearly and lifetime remittances. Another provision bound to take place in 2010 is the restructuring of health insurance plans to offer precautionary services at no extra costs. Additionally, retired Americans aged 55 and 64 will receive additional health benefits on top of those provided by their respective health insurance companies from a transitory reinsurance plan. Perhaps to make some small adjustments to the bill, I propose to create a health care plan for expectant mothers so that they can receive prenatal and antenatal services for free (Health Care Reform, pp. 1-10).
2011 Changes
The Obama’s Health Care bill proposes the establishment of a new health insurance plan, Medicare, which will offer wellness stopovers at no costs for the whole year, and other preventive services devoid of out of pocket costs. Interestingly, medical recipients operating under schemes such as Drug and Medicare will buy drugs at half the normal price instantaneously. Although the help many Americans spend less, I propose a price cut of 25 per cent to help sustain pharmaceutical companies. I also propose a tax rise of 5 per cent to replace the 20 per cent as stated in the bill. At least this will relieve the already burdened Americans. I also propose a new model to be included in the bill, small business program-tax-free and with no additional administrative costs, which will take the place of a cafeteria plan.
2013 Changes
No employers will pay the current tax deductions that subsidize the cost of drugs. Merchants vending medical devices will also pay a 2.9 per cent excise tax on their medical equipment except for glasses, hearing aids and other minor types of equipment. The bill also outlines an extra 0.09 per cent rise in hospital insurance tax to individuals or families earning $200, 000 and $250,000 respectively. I support this provision because hospitals would be in a position to finance their services and pay doctors. I also propose that all administrative costs for all insurance companies to be uniform and t insurance companies exchange ideas and data. I propose that the minimum threshold for claiming presumptions should apply to all medical recipients and not only persons aged 65 and above.
2014 Changes
In 2014, it will be compulsory for every American to have health insurance coverage; otherwise, they risk a government fine that increases from ninety-five dollars in 2010 to three hundred and twenty-five dollars the following year to six hundred and ninety-five dollars in 2016. These fines will mostly affect individuals and families where families will have to pay an additional cap of $2,250 in addition to the fine, plus extra fines for every child equivalent to half the fine incurred by the adult. Small firms must cover all their working force otherwise; they risk a fine of between two thousand and three thousand dollars for every uninsured worker. However, I do not think whether it is good to find people who won’t have insurance premiums by 2020. I believe people have the right to choose what they want and that it would be unconstitutional if the government forces them. Additionally, employers who fail to ensure employers meet stiffer penalties. However, I propose the scrapping of the fine to motivate employers to continue offering health insurance programs to their employees. Nevertheless, I am for the idea that all insurance companies have uniform health care charges irrespective of health complications, gender and other social differences.
2018 Changes
There is not much to amend in 2018 as the bill proposes a paramount provision of funding health care services called Cadillac. Fundamentally, this is a new scheme of taxing all working Americans if they consume healthcare costs amounting to over $10,200 and $27,500 for individuals and families respectively (Cheryl, p.1). At least, this will bring equality.
Conclusion
The bill provides an elusive method of ensuring every American, rich or poor, access affordable and quality health care amid some small adjustments. Since both Republicans and Democrats agree that America needs an overhaul in the healthcare sector, I believe these adjustments will make it acceptable by all members across the political divide. Experts project that by the year 2020, every American will be under a health insurance plan; something that 48 million Americans have waited for a long time.
Works Cited
Cheryl, Philips. Health care bill summary: What should you expect after the Obama Signs bill into law? 2010. Web.
Health Care Reform. New York Times. 2010. Web.
Smith, Donna. FACTBOX-Summary of Obama’s healthcare proposal. Reuters. 2010.