Most Americans
will have until 2014 to purchase insurance or pay a penalty. Other
elements of the bill that will not take effect until at least 2014
include insurance marketplaces called "exchanges"; rules requiring
insurers to accept all applicants regardless of pre-existing conditions,
and an expansion of state Medicaid programs.
A number of experts question whether health care reform will really drive down insurance premiums. America's Health Insurance Plans
( AHIP), the trade group representing health insurers, outlines a
series of concerns related to the legislation including a lack of
provisions that address underlying health care costs, improve quality of
care or ensure a stable risk pool. In addition, AHIP expressed concerns
regarding new taxes on health coverage, which will likely increase
premiums.
Additional Activities
Obama's Executive Order on Abortion Funding: On Sunday afternoon, prior to the final House vote on health care reform,
President Obama agreed to issue an Executive Order that would uphold
the ban on federal funding for abortion . In so doing, he secured about a
half-dozen votes from anti-abortion Democrats, led by Rep. Bart Stupak
(D-MI), who previously opposed the legislation. On Wednesday, President
Obama signed the Executive Order banning the government from spending
federal money to pay for abortions through plans offered on the
insurance exchanges created under the measure.
States Filing Lawsuit to Fight Provision of Health Care Reform Bill: In response to the new health care reform
legislation, states across the country have filed lawsuits asking the
courts to declare the law unconstitutional and to bar its enforcement.
On Monday,Attorneys General in 13 states, led by Florida, filed a joint
lawsuit claiming that the new health care reforms violate state
government rights in the U.S. Constitution and will force massive new
spending on hard-pressed state governments. Joining Florida in the suit
are Alabama, Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska,
Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Washington.
At
the same time, the Attorney General in Virginia filed a separate suit
contending that Congress has exceeded its power in mandating that people
buy health insurance. Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli argues
that the new law's requirement clashes with Virginia law that exempts
citizens from federal fines imposed for not having health insurance.
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