Healthcare Reform
HB 89 requires the attorney general to join the lawsuit challenging the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (healthcare reform act). The Attorney General warned committee members that forcing his office to join in the suit is unconstitutional based on the seperation of powers doctrine. Below is the recent testimony of Representative Cindy Rosenwald (D-Nashua) on the floor of the house highlighting the benefits of the Federal Health Care Reform Act during the debate to repeal reform.
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to the motion. We have heard that the Attorney General should join the lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act because the majority of the committee thinks it is constitutional to require him to do so. However, while we are having this debate, taxpayers in the cities of Berlin, Claremont, Concord, Derry, Dover, Durham, Keene, Laconia, Manchester, Nashua, Portsmouth, Salem, Windham and Wolfeboro are all benefiting from federal subsidies for health insurance for early retirees. The State of New Hampshire has also received millions of dollars from this provision of the ACA.
"While we are here debating constitutionality, tax professionals are looking at substantial tax credits for over 19,000 of their small business clients that offer health insurance to employees. For one small business in Grafton County, this means a tax savings of $7,000!
"While we are listening to debate on forcing the Attorney General to sue the federal government, 200,000 senior citizens in New Hampshire will have the opportunity to save 50% on medications if they have high drug costs. Maybe now they won’t have to make the choice between food and medicine.
"While we are in Reps Hall debating this bill, thousands of New Hampshire’s young adults now have the opportunity to practice personal responsibility and buy health insurance.
"And when some of us here are thinking that getting rid of the Affordable Care Act will save us money, let’s also admit that even without health insurance, people still do get sick. Let’s understand that cost shifting for uncompensated care they will receive has a tangible impact on health care expenses for the rest of us. That cost adds up to more than $1,000 a year for every single person in New Hampshire.
"I know that the lawsuits against the Affordable Care Act are moving forward with or without New Hampshire’s participation, but I also know that New Hampshire’s employers, businesses, taxpayers and residents are even now benefitting from this law. So I oppose the motion of OTPA [ought to pass with amendment]. Thank you, Mr. Speaker."
Below is a Broader Discussion on the Merits of Healthcare Reform
The Affordable Care Act will lower overall health care costs, end the worst of the insurance company abuses, and give 32 million more Americans access to health coverage. Here are some highlights of protections already in place by the Affordable Care Act:
Ban on Discriminating Against Kids with Pre-Existing Conditions. Before reform, tens of the thousands of families had been denied insurance each year for their children because of an illness or condition. Plans cannot discriminate against kids with pre-existing conditions. Up to 72,000 uninsured children are expected to gain coverage by banning insurers from refusing them coverage due to a pre-existing condition. Coverage for up to 90,000 children will no longer exclude benefits because of a pre-existing condition.
Ban on Insurance Companies Dropping Coverage. Before reform, insurance companies could cancel your coverage when you got sick and needed it most because of a simple mistake on your application. Now insurance companies are banned from cutting off your coverage due to an unintentional mistake on your application. In the past, about 10,700 people had their coverage dropped each year because of technical mistakes in their applications.
Ban on Insurance Companies Limiting Coverage. Before reform, cancer patients and people with other serious and chronic diseases were often forced to limit their treatment because of an insurer's lifetime limit on their coverage. Now, insurance companies can no longer put a lifetime limit on the amount of coverage they provide. In the past, more than 100 million people had policies with lifetime limits, and each year about 20,400 people reached their policy's limit.
For new health insurance policies, the Affordable Care Act also requires changes including: Ban on Insurance Companies Limiting Choice of Doctors. Before reform, insurance companies could decide which doctor you could go to. Because of Healthcare Reform, if you purchase or join a new plan you have the right to choose your own doctor in your insurer network.
Ban on Insurance Companies Restricting Emergency Room Care. Before reform, insurance companies could limit which emergency room you could go to or charge you more if you went out of network. Because of Healthcare Reform, now if you purchase or join a new plan, those plans are banned from charging more for emergency services obtained out of network.
Guaranteeing You a Right to Appeal. Before reform, when insurers denied you coverage or restricted your treatment, you were left with few options to appeal. Because of Healthcare Reform, if you purchase or join a new policy, you will be guaranteed the right to appeal insurance company decisions to an independent third party.
Covering Preventive Care With No Cost. Because of Healthcare Reform, if you join or purchase a new plan, you will receive recommended preventive care with no out-of-pocket cost. Services like mammograms, colonoscopies, immunizations, pre-natal and new baby care will be covered and insurance companies will be prohibited from charging deductibles, co-payments or co-insurance. These preventive procedures are proven to save costs since they catch illness when they can be treated easier.
Covering Young Adults on Parent's Plan. All new health plans must allow young adults to remain on their parent's plan until their 26th birthday, unless they are offered coverage at work.
This interactive tool helps you find out when the different parts of healthcare reform begin. Read more here or go to the official Healthcare Reform website.
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to the motion. We have heard that the Attorney General should join the lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act because the majority of the committee thinks it is constitutional to require him to do so. However, while we are having this debate, taxpayers in the cities of Berlin, Claremont, Concord, Derry, Dover, Durham, Keene, Laconia, Manchester, Nashua, Portsmouth, Salem, Windham and Wolfeboro are all benefiting from federal subsidies for health insurance for early retirees. The State of New Hampshire has also received millions of dollars from this provision of the ACA.
"While we are here debating constitutionality, tax professionals are looking at substantial tax credits for over 19,000 of their small business clients that offer health insurance to employees. For one small business in Grafton County, this means a tax savings of $7,000!
"While we are listening to debate on forcing the Attorney General to sue the federal government, 200,000 senior citizens in New Hampshire will have the opportunity to save 50% on medications if they have high drug costs. Maybe now they won’t have to make the choice between food and medicine.
"While we are in Reps Hall debating this bill, thousands of New Hampshire’s young adults now have the opportunity to practice personal responsibility and buy health insurance.
"And when some of us here are thinking that getting rid of the Affordable Care Act will save us money, let’s also admit that even without health insurance, people still do get sick. Let’s understand that cost shifting for uncompensated care they will receive has a tangible impact on health care expenses for the rest of us. That cost adds up to more than $1,000 a year for every single person in New Hampshire.
"I know that the lawsuits against the Affordable Care Act are moving forward with or without New Hampshire’s participation, but I also know that New Hampshire’s employers, businesses, taxpayers and residents are even now benefitting from this law. So I oppose the motion of OTPA [ought to pass with amendment]. Thank you, Mr. Speaker."
Below is a Broader Discussion on the Merits of Healthcare Reform
The Affordable Care Act will lower overall health care costs, end the worst of the insurance company abuses, and give 32 million more Americans access to health coverage. Here are some highlights of protections already in place by the Affordable Care Act:
Ban on Discriminating Against Kids with Pre-Existing Conditions. Before reform, tens of the thousands of families had been denied insurance each year for their children because of an illness or condition. Plans cannot discriminate against kids with pre-existing conditions. Up to 72,000 uninsured children are expected to gain coverage by banning insurers from refusing them coverage due to a pre-existing condition. Coverage for up to 90,000 children will no longer exclude benefits because of a pre-existing condition.
Ban on Insurance Companies Dropping Coverage. Before reform, insurance companies could cancel your coverage when you got sick and needed it most because of a simple mistake on your application. Now insurance companies are banned from cutting off your coverage due to an unintentional mistake on your application. In the past, about 10,700 people had their coverage dropped each year because of technical mistakes in their applications.
Ban on Insurance Companies Limiting Coverage. Before reform, cancer patients and people with other serious and chronic diseases were often forced to limit their treatment because of an insurer's lifetime limit on their coverage. Now, insurance companies can no longer put a lifetime limit on the amount of coverage they provide. In the past, more than 100 million people had policies with lifetime limits, and each year about 20,400 people reached their policy's limit.
For new health insurance policies, the Affordable Care Act also requires changes including: Ban on Insurance Companies Limiting Choice of Doctors. Before reform, insurance companies could decide which doctor you could go to. Because of Healthcare Reform, if you purchase or join a new plan you have the right to choose your own doctor in your insurer network.
Ban on Insurance Companies Restricting Emergency Room Care. Before reform, insurance companies could limit which emergency room you could go to or charge you more if you went out of network. Because of Healthcare Reform, now if you purchase or join a new plan, those plans are banned from charging more for emergency services obtained out of network.
Guaranteeing You a Right to Appeal. Before reform, when insurers denied you coverage or restricted your treatment, you were left with few options to appeal. Because of Healthcare Reform, if you purchase or join a new policy, you will be guaranteed the right to appeal insurance company decisions to an independent third party.
Covering Preventive Care With No Cost. Because of Healthcare Reform, if you join or purchase a new plan, you will receive recommended preventive care with no out-of-pocket cost. Services like mammograms, colonoscopies, immunizations, pre-natal and new baby care will be covered and insurance companies will be prohibited from charging deductibles, co-payments or co-insurance. These preventive procedures are proven to save costs since they catch illness when they can be treated easier.
Covering Young Adults on Parent's Plan. All new health plans must allow young adults to remain on their parent's plan until their 26th birthday, unless they are offered coverage at work.
This interactive tool helps you find out when the different parts of healthcare reform begin. Read more here or go to the official Healthcare Reform website.
