Health Care Debaucle

Lately there has been a great deal of conjecture behind the Presidents health care overhaul. Much of what has been reported by the media is either terribly misleading or entirely based upon biased speculation. It's not my intention to take a side one way or the other on this issue. However, since it is all too clear that there are few who have actually read this bill,I feel it is necessary to summarize the key points of what this bill would do to the health care system as it stands. The following points are from the actual bill;

KEY POINTS

*Prohibiting health insurers from refusing coverage based on patients' medical history.
*Prohibiting health insurers from charging different rates based on patients' medical histories or gender.
*Repeal of insurance companies' exemption from anti-trust laws.
*Establishing minimum standards for qualified health benefit plans.
*Requiring most employers to provide coverage for their workers or pay a surtax on the worker's wages up to 8%.
*Restrictions on abortion coverage in any insurance plans for which federal funds are used.
*An expansion of Medicaid to include more low-income Americans by increasing Medicaid eligibility limits to 150% of the Federal Poverty Level and by covering adults without dependents as long as either or any segment doesn't fall under the narrow exceptions outlined by various clauses throughout the proposal.
*A subsidy to low- and middle-income Americans to help buy insurance.
*A central health insurance exchange where the public can compare policies and rates.
*A government-run insurance plan (public option); according to some analyses, the plan would be prohibited from covering abortions
*Requiring most Americans to carry or obtain qualifying health insurance coverage or possibly face a surtax for non-compliance.
*A 5.4% surtax on individuals whose adjusted gross income exceeds $500,000 ($1 million for married couples filing joint returns)
*A 2.5% excise tax on medical devices
*Reductions in projected spending on Medicare of $400 billion over a ten-year period.
*Inclusion of language originally proposed in the Tax Equity for Domestic Partner and Health Plan Beneficiaries Act
*Inclusion of language originally proposed in the Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2009.
*Imposing a $2,500 limit on contributions to flexible spending accounts (FSAs), which allow for *Payment of health costs with pre-tax funds, to pay for a portion of health care reform costs.

More details are available online by searching "Health care".

There are a few things in this bill that may seem hard to understand. For example, the bill repeals the insurance companies exemption from anti trust laws. This is legislation that would force large corporations from owning over a certain number of insurance companies and drug manufacturers that could inevitably hike up prices on the consumers.
Obviously there are going to be questions on some of these issues. The best advice I can give is to read the entire bill before making any judgement. Remember, there are powerful forces at work here. Their aim is to either pander for the passing of the bill, or to create a false image of what this bill really does. There are literally trillions of dollars at stake here. And no matter what these lobbyists will stop at nothing to get what they want.