Senator Kent Conrad | North Dakota

Summary of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Immediate Benefits

Almost immediately, the American people will see the benefits of this historic legislation. With the first year of enactment of this legislation, this bill fixes our broken health system by:

Providing affordable coverage to the uninsured with pre-existing conditions
Improving care to seniors
Lowering prescription drug costs
Reducing costs for small businesses through tax credits on premiums
Extending coverage for young adults
Providing preventative care free of charge
Prohibiting discrimination on the basis of salary, gender or existing illness
Eliminating lifetime limits on the amount of coverage a person may receive
Making health insurance plans more transparent and competitive

Overview

The bill continues to honor the principles that were laid out at the beginning of this process. The bill saves lives, saves money and saves Medicare and here's how the legislation accomplishes that:

Lowering Costs, Reducing the Deficit and Extending Coverage to Millions of Americans

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) confirms that The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a fiscally responsible bill that will reduce the deficit, extend coverage to millions of Americans and meet the President's cost test. Among other things, it will:

Cut the budget deficit by $132 billion (over 10 years) - going further than any other bill
Cut the budget deficit by as much as $1.3 trillion in the second decade
Ensure that more than 94% of Americans have affordable coverage options - including a 31 million person reduction in the uninsured

Cracking Down on Insurer Abuses and Creating Competition

The bill changes the way health insurance companies do business. This legislation will ensure that the American people, rather than big insurance companies have the upper hand when it comes to their health care coverage by:

Prohibiting insurance companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions
Stopping insurers from dropping health insurance coverage when someone gets sick
Leveling the playing field for consumers by providing a health insurance marketplace for consumers, to ensure competition, lower costs and provide individuals the freedom to choose the right health insurance plan for them
Banning pre-existing condition exclusions for children
Strengthening medical loss ratios
Eliminating discrimination based on gender
Requiring insurance companies to cover preventive care
Improving health coverage for America's seniors
Creating multi-state insurance options overseen by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to give consumers affordable choices
Ensuring free choice vouchers for eligible workers
Strengthening patient protections like choice of doctors and access to emergency care

Helping Small Business

The legislation will help reduce costs for small businesses by making health care more affordable for their employees. Qualifying small businesses will also be rewarded for providing health care coverage to their employees under the legislation by making them eligible for tax credits of up to 50 percent of their premiums.

Protecting Seniors

The Medicare program for America's seniors is a sacred trust with our seniors and people with disabilities and this bill makes Medicare a stronger, more sustainable program. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will strengthen health care for America's seniors by increasing quality and reducing costs by:

Strengthening the financial health of Medicare
Reducing the size of the coverage gap in Medicare Part D, known as the "doughnut hole," by $500 in the first year
Making prescription drugs more affordable
Ensuring affordable, quality long-term care
Improving follow-up care after a hospitalization
Increasing access to additional health care providers through Medicare

Investing in Doctors and Nurses

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will address shortages in primary care and other areas of practice by making necessary investments in our nation's health care workforce, including the National Health Service Corps and the Scholarship and Loan Repayment Program. It will also create incentives for primary care practitioners and for providers to serve underserved areas.

Investing in Community Health Centers to expand access to health care in underserved communities
Expanding funding and training for rural health care providers, physicians and other health care providers

Promoting Prevention and Wellness

The bill will enhance preventive health care to help Americans live healthy lives and help restrain the growth of health care costs over time by:

Eliminating co-pays and deductibles for recommended preventive care
Providing individuals with the information they need to make healthy decisions
Investing in a national prevention and public health strategy


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With the first year of enactment of this legislation, this bill fixes our broken health system by: Providing affordable coverage to the uninsured with pre-existing conditions Improving care to seniors Lowering prescription drug costs Reducing costs for small businesses through tax credits on premiums Extending coverage for young adults Providing preventative care free of charge Prohibiting discrimination on the basis of salary, gender or existing illness Eliminating lifetime limits on the amount of coverage a person may receive Making health insurance plans more transparent and competitive Overview The bill continues to honor the principles that were laid out at the beginning of this process. The bill saves lives, saves money and saves Medicare and here's how the legislation accomplishes that: Lowering Costs, Reducing the Deficit and Extending Coverage to Millions of Americans The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) confirms that The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a fiscally responsible bill that will reduce the deficit, extend coverage to millions of Americans and meet the President's cost test. Among other things, it will: Cut the budget deficit by $132 billion (over 10 years) - going further than any other bill Cut the budget deficit by as much as $1.3 trillion in the second decade Ensure that more than 94% of Americans have affordable coverage options - including a 31 million person reduction in the uninsured Cracking Down on Insurer Abuses and Creating Competition The bill changes the way health insurance companies do business. This legislation will ensure that the American people, rather than big insurance companies have the upper hand when it comes to their health care coverage by: Prohibiting insurance companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions Stopping insurers from dropping health insurance coverage when someone gets sick Leveling the playing field for consumers by providing a health insurance marketplace for consumers, to ensure competition, lower costs and provide individuals the freedom to choose the right health insurance plan for them Banning pre-existing condition exclusions for children Strengthening medical loss ratios Eliminating discrimination based on gender Requiring insurance companies to cover preventive care Improving health coverage for America's seniors Creating multi-state insurance options overseen by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to give consumers affordable choices Ensuring free choice vouchers for eligible workers Strengthening patient protections like choice of doctors and access to emergency care Helping Small Business The legislation will help reduce costs for small businesses by making health care more affordable for their employees. Qualifying small businesses will also be rewarded for providing health care coverage to their employees under the legislation by making them eligible for tax credits of up to 50 percent of their premiums. Protecting Seniors The Medicare program for America's seniors is a sacred trust with our seniors and people with disabilities and this bill makes Medicare a stronger, more sustainable program. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will strengthen health care for America's seniors by increasing quality and reducing costs by: Strengthening the financial health of Medicare Reducing the size of the coverage gap in Medicare Part D, known as the "doughnut hole," by $500 in the first year Making prescription drugs more affordable Ensuring affordable, quality long-term care Improving follow-up care after a hospitalization Increasing access to additional health care providers through Medicare Investing in Doctors and Nurses The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will address shortages in primary care and other areas of practice by making necessary investments in our nation's health care workforce, including the National Health Service Corps and the Scholarship and Loan Repayment Program. It will also create incentives for primary care practitioners and for providers to serve underserved areas. Investing in Community Health Centers to expand access to health care in underserved communities Expanding funding and training for rural health care providers, physicians and other health care providers Promoting Prevention and Wellness The bill will enhance preventive health care to help Americans live healthy lives and help restrain the growth of health care costs over time by: Eliminating co-pays and deductibles for recommended preventive care Providing individuals with the information they need to make healthy decisions Investing in a national prevention and public health strategy

Issues

Summary of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act