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Affordable Health Care for America Act
The three panels with jurisdiction over health policy in the House worked together as one committee to develop a single bill that fulfills President Obama's goals of reducing health care costs, protecting and increasing consumers' choices, and guaranteeing access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans. On July 14, 2009, House Democrats introduced the America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 and on July 17th, the House Ways and Means Committee and the Education and Labor Committee approved the health insurance reform legislation. On July 31st, the Energy and Commerce Committee passed the legislation out of committee. On Thursday, October 29th, Speaker Pelosi, House Democratic Leaders, Committee Chairs, Members of Congress and Americans who are struggling under the current health care system held a rally on the West Front of the Capitol to unveil the final bill, the Affordable Health Care for America Act. On November 7th, the House passed the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) by a vote of 220-215. See more from the debate on our blog, The Gavel, or @HealthReformNow on Twitter.
On December 24th, the Senate passed health reform legislation, bringing us closer to providing quality, affordable health insurance to every American. As we move forward through the legislative process, we will produce a final bill that is founded on the core principles of health insurance reform: affordability for the middle class, security for our seniors, responsibility to our children, and accountability for the insurance industry. House leaders are committed to working with Members of the House, the Senate, and the Obama Administration to reconcile the House and Senate bills and send the final legislation to the President’s desk as soon as possible. Read a side-by-side comparison prepared by Tri-Committee staff on similarities and differences between the House-passed and Senate-passed health reform bills>>
Without reform, the cost of health care for the average family of four is projected to rise $1,800 every year for years to come—and insurance companies will make more health care decisions.
America’s middle class deserves better. Here’s what the Affordable Health Care for America Act means for you:
LOWER COSTS
- No more co-pays or deductibles for preventive care
- No more rate increases for pre-existing conditions, gender, or occupation
- An annual cap on your out-of-pocket expenses
- Group rates of a national pool if you buy your own plan
- Guaranteed, affordable oral, hearing, and vision care for your kids
GREATER CHOICE
- Keep your doctor, and your current plan, if you like them
- More choice, with a high quality public health insurance option competing with private insurers
HIGHER QUALITY
- You and your doctors make health care decisions — not insurance companies
- More family doctors and nurses will enter the workforce, helping guarantee access
- Mental health care must be covered
STABILITY & PEACE OF MIND
- No more coverage denials for pre-existing conditions
- No more lifetime limits on how much insurance companies will pay
- No reason to ever make a job or life decision again based on health care coverage
Legislative Text and Summaries
Top Line Changes »
Top 10 Changes to the Health Insurance Reform Bill »
4 Page Bill Summary »
Side by Side Chart of H.R. 3200 and the Affordable Health Care For America Act »
What's In It For You?
What Health Insurance Reform Means for You » (Brochure)
Meeting the Health Care Needs of Seniors & People With Disabilities »
Meeting Women's Health Care Needs »
How Health Insurance Reform Helps Small Businesses »
Problems That Would Be Solved By Health Insurance Reform »
Overview
What You Need to Know About Health Insurance Reform »
Top 10 Ways Health Insurance Reform Works for You »
Impact of Health Insurance Reform in Congressional Districts »
Fact Sheets - Health Reform at a Glance
Public Health Insurance Option »
The Health Insurance Marketplace »
Shared Responsibility »
Guaranteed Benefits »
Making Coverage Affordable »
Consumer Protections and Insurance Market Reforms »
Employers and Health Reform »
Strengthening the Nation’s Health Workforce »
Lowering Health Care Costs »
Prevention and Wellness »
Delivery System Reforms »
Preventing Waste, Fraud and Abuse »
Strengthening Medicare »
Improving Medicare Part D Drug Program »
Maintaining and Improving Medicaid »
Medicare Advantage »
Health Care Surcharge and Households »
Health Care Surcharge and Small Businesses »
Around the Web
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