HEALTH CARE REFORM LEGISLATION BECOMES LAW
What’s at Issue On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law legislation to overhaul our nation’s health care system. The U.S. House of Representatives approved the measure, H.R. 3590 , the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, by a slim margin (219-212) on March 21, 2010. Click here to view the roll call vote on H.R. 3590. This is the same measure that was passed by the U.S. Senate on December 24, 2009, with a vote of 60 – 39. Please click here to view the roll call vote.
Additional legislation was passed by the House and Senate, H.R. 4752, the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 , which makes a number of health-related financing and revenue changes to H.R. 3590. The House passed the bill with a vote of 220 – 211. To view the roll call vote, please click here. The Senate passed the measure with amendments by a vote of 56 – 43. To view the Senate roll call vote, please click here . This bill was signed into law by the president on March 26, 2010.
Both bills seek to make purchasing health insurance coverage more affordable and to cover over 30 million uninsured Americans.
Why It’s Important The measures require most Americans to have health insurance coverage, add 16 million people to the Medicaid program, and subsidize private coverage for low- and middle-income people. The law regulates private insurers more closely, banning practices such as denial of care for pre-existing conditions. However, most of the health care coverage changes probably won’t take effect until 2014. Further, the law will cost the government about $938 billion over 10 years, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, which has also estimated that it will reduce the federal deficit by $138 billion over a decade. These figures are based on number of assumptions, including limiting the cap on Medicaid payments to physicians, something that Congress has not permitted since the program’s inception.
Major Provisions The 2,800-page bill is unclear in many parts, and only time will tell how many of the major provisions of the bill will impact the health care of Americans and small businesses. This legislative report is intended to provide members with a general overview of the major provisions within the new law that could affect their company and a timeline for small business established by the National Federation of Independent Businesses.
Title I: Quality, Affordable Health Care for All Americans:
Title II: Role of Public Programs:
Title III: Improving the Quality and Efficiency of Health Care:
Title IV: Prevention of Chronic Disease and Improving Public Health:
Title V: Health Care Workforce:
Title VI: Transparency and Program Integrity:
Title VII: Improving Access to Innovative Medical Therapies:
Title VIII: Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act (CLASS):
Title IX: Tax Revenue Provisions:
Title X: Reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act:
Timeline for Small Business 2010-2018: The following information was published by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB.org)
NATA Position NATA is very concerned about the significant increases contained within this new law and the impact the costs will have on America’s small aviation businesses. During a time when the general aviation and airline service communities have been hit hard due to the economic recession, assessing additional costs to these small businesses could cripple these important segments of the aviation industry.
Status Many of the health care reforms don’t begin for another four years or more, delaying the impact this law will have on Americans, businesses and the uninsured. Some states have also filed lawsuits against the federal government stating that the mandates within the new law are unconstitutional.
Staff Contact: Kristen Moore Director, Legislative Affairs [email protected]
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