Three quick things you should know about Obamacare

Three quick things you should know about Obamacare

Hi all –

In the past few days, we’ve received three really interesting new pieces of information about the health care law, and we wanted to share these data points with you so that you get a big picture of how things are changing for the better as the law gets implemented.

First, the Affordable Care Act is helping to make sure that insurance companies and providers have to compete for your business by creating a Health Insurance Marketplace that offers people more choice and control over their insurance choices. An estimated 80 percent of the people who will enroll in the Marketplaces live in states with five or more different insurance companies to choose from — instead of just one or two. We’ve put together a memo about that, and you can read it HERE.

Second, as the health care law is helping move to a system where data helps improve consumer choices and the quality of care, the government is making more information available to consumers, from hospital charges and quality outcomes to regional health care system performance statistics. Those may sound like dry things, but businesses are springing up across the country and using this data to power new innovation. Secretary Sebelius explains this idea in more detail HERE.

Third, we got some great news about the long-term viability of Medicare. Program cost growth, both long term and short, is down — even as new benefits for preventive care and prescription drugs are now helping tens of millions of beneficiaries. Get more information about the report that shows that Medicare is growing stronger HERE.

We’re sharing this information with you because we’re sure you hear people talk about the health care law in your communities all the time, and if you have questions we’d love to answer them.

Ask your questions about the health care law, and we’ll answer some of them next week.

Thanks,

Tara

Tara McGuinness Senior Communications Advisor The White House

P.S. — Earlier today, the President delivered remarks on the health care law in San Jose. Lean more HERE.

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CBO : Affordable Care Act

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CBO’s analyses of the health care legislation passed during the 111th Congress began in early 2009 and continued past the enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA, which consists of P.L. 111-148 as amended by P.L. 111-152) in March 2010. The agency’s previous and ongoing work on ACA covers a wide range of topics, some related to specific legislative proposals and some with a broader perspective.

• H.R. 1549, Helping Sick Americans Now Act

  cost estimate April 19, 2013

• How Has CBO’s Estimate of the Net Budgetary Impact of the Affordable Care Act’s Health Insurance Coverage Provisions Changed Over Time?

  blog post March 20, 2013

• Growth in Means-Tested Programs and Tax Credits for Low-Income Households

  report February 11, 2013

• Effects of the Affordable Care Act on Health Insurance Coverage—February 2013 Baseline

  data or technical information February 5, 2013

Congressional Budget Office : ACA

How Has CBO’s Estimate of the Net Budgetary Impact of the Affordable Care Act’s Health Insurance Coverage Provisions Changed Over Time?

CBO and JCT’s estimate of the net budgetary impact of the ACA’s insurance coverage provisions has changed little since August 2012, and has changed little, for any given year, since the legislation was being considered in March 2010.

My brother isn’t “sick enough”?

Cigna: Save Seth. Don’t deny my 13-year-old brother the drug he needs to grow.                              Sign Morgan’s Petition My 13-year-old brother Seth is sweet, small and extremely sick. But according to our insurance company Cigna he’s not “sick enough” for the health insurance company to cover the medication his doctor says he desperately needs. Cigna has refused to pay for Seth to take Increlex, a medication that has helped him overcome his Diabetes and growth hormone deficiency. And even worse, Cigna says it will only cover a medication that Seth’s doctor says could actually kill him. The insurance giant says that they will not cover the Increlex because Seth has grown too tall — exactly the point of the medication! Essentially, Seth has to get sicker and risk the underdevelopment of his body and internal organs until Cigna agrees to cover his medication. I can’t stand it. I started a petition on Change.org calling on Cigna not to force my little brother Seth off the medication that his changed his life for the better and could give him a chance at a normal life. Click here to sign my petition now. Increlex has been a miracle drug for Seth. After Seth started on it, he grew bigger, his organs grew, his grades rose and he was happy. We all were. For the first time, we were hopeful that Seth would lead a happy, full and normal life. But now, Cigna wants to take that all away. Increlex costs $20,000 a month — and we’re already deep in debt because of all the medical bills. I know my family isn’t the only one fighting an insurance company. Insurance companies like Cigna are making medical decisions for sick kids like my little brother — decisions that should be made by doctors and patients together. This must stop. Please join me and my family in calling on Cigna Insurance to not punish by brother for not being “sick enough.”  He needs the Increlex, now. Click here to sign my petition. Thank you. - Morgan Blake Tyler, TX

The August 1 deadline for insurance company refunds – Check out the map … DeAnn Friedholm

We’ve mapped the refunds!The August 1 deadline for insurance companyrefunds is fast approaching, but there’s virtually no public detail to help people figure out their own situation. Except here. We’ve mapped which companies will likely be giving refunds, and in which states.

All the data is not yet in, but companies have started to report what kind of refunds they will give, and in which states. We’re compiling those reports.

Based on the estimates provided by insurers, billions in health insurance refunds are due to consumers, starting August 1.

For you, we either don’t have enough information to tell you about your specific situation or you didn’t respond to last week’s quick survey. You can still check out what’s happening in your state and then contact your state’s department of insurance.

Click here to see our map, and then roll your cursor over your state to see the detail!

The new health care law requires insurance companies spend most of your premium on actual medical care, not on their sky-high CEO salaries, advertising or claims denial bureaucracy. If they spend more than 20 percent on their overhead, they must give you a cash refund or an equivalent discount on your next payment. Either way, it’s money in your pocket.

A lot of the refunds will go to those of you who buy your own health insurance, as opposed to those of you who get coverage through your employer. And some companies already are spending less on overhead, so not everyone will get a refund.

But many insurance companies are falling below the mark. Is yours one of them? Find out!

Check out our refund map, then share it with friends and family.

Everyone paying for health insurance could be eligible for a refund (public programs like Medicare and Medicaid spend comparatively little on administration and will not be giving refunds). If you know anyone else who might want to know about this important benefit, please forward this email so they can check out our map, too!

Sincerely,
DeAnn Friedholm, YourHealthSecurity.org

CBO: Cost Estimates and Effects of the Affordable Care Act and more – Repost

6/28

CBO and JCT’s Estimates of the Effects of the Affordable Care Act on the Number of People Obtaining Employment-Based Health Insurance

• The Effects of the Affordable Care Act on Employment-Based Health Insurance
• Testimony on CBO’s Appropriation Request for Fiscal Year 2013
• H.R. 4119, the Border Tunnel Prevention Act of 2012
• H.R. 2050, the Idaho Wilderness Water Resources Protection Act
• H.R. 3263, the Lake Thunderbird Efficient Use Act of 2011
• H.R. 1335, a bill to revise the boundaries of the Gettysburg National Military Park to include the Gettysburg Train Station, and for other purposes
• H.R. 2947, a bill to provide for the release of the reversionary interest held by the United States in certain land conveyed by the United States in 1950 for the establishment of an airport in Cook County, Minnesota
• H.R. 665, Excess Federal Building and Property Disposal Act of 2012
• H.R. 2240, the Lowell National Historical Park Land Exchange Act of 2011

HCAN

Health care reform is saving lives and protecting families – including young adults trying to start new lives in a challenging economy. So far, 6.6 million young adults have gained health insurance under their parents‘ health care plans as a result of the Affordable Care Act, according to the Commonwealth Fund. The new figures far outstrip earlier estimates.

That’s 6.6 million young people who will have more flexibility to pursue careers of their choosing, who won’t face the added stress of going without health care as they begin their careers and who can know that they’ll be covered if something bad happens. Helen Dally is one of them. In March when the U.S. Supreme Court was hearing arguments on Obamacare, this young woman came to the steps of the court to explain to reporters how the law enabled her to join a health plan sponsored by her parents’ small business.

Please click here to share with your friends and family how this part of the ACA is helping young people.

The dependent coverage provision, one of Obamacare’s most popular elements, allows young adults to enroll in a parent’s health plan as long as they have not reached their 26th birthday and their employer does not offer a qualified health plan. The provision is a godsend for recent college graduates struggling to find work and pay off expensive student loans. Many young adults have been forced to return to their parents’ homes while they look for employment, and the ACA lends these individuals a helping hand while giving parents peace of mind.

This is just one of the many ways that the health care law is working.

Thanks,

Will O’Neill Health Care for America Now

Smile – and pay up! … Minerva Novoa, ConsumersUnion

Minerva Novoa, Web team coordinator   In July the interest rate will double on widely used federal student loans, and Congress still hasn’t agreed on a way to stop it. If you’re frustrated by the ever-climbing cost of a college education, show us right now! Send us your photo holding up a simple message of how much you are in debt for a college degree. Or how much your kids, or your grandkids, owe. We’ll collect your photos and send a strong message to Congress that the old adage of ‘working your way through college’ is outdated when a year of college can equal a yearly salary. It’s time our leaders get real about the cost of a college education. Getting serious about climate change For the first time ever, the EPA is proposing limits on carbon pollution from new coal-fired power plants! Opponents are lining up to fight it, so tell the EPA you support pollution limits. Good, Bad: Medical device bill passes Your emails put pressure on Congress to strengthen the medical device safety bill, but we fell short of getting a big loophole closed. Find out what we won and lost.   Wanted: New home for money It’s not you. Banks DO make it hard for you to close your account and move your money. Check out our new report, and find how you can more easily move your money. Tricked by your health insurance? Health insurers can make coverage so confusing you may avoid the doctor. If you’ve felt tricked by your insurance company share your story with us so we can know more.

The Story of the Affordable Care Act: From an Unmet Promise to the Law of the Land

This video shows the road to health reform and how the president delivered affordable health care for all Americans.

The new law is making health care work better for all of us, even if you already have insurance. It puts the health of your family first—ensuring access to free preventive care and protecting consumers from insurance company abuses.

#ACA is also a jobs jobs jobs creator

Stand UP for Medicare … Sherrod Brown

I’m proud to call myself a progressive. I know what our community has achieved over the years on behalf of working families. And I’m proud to stand with fighting progressives like you any day of the week.

Click here to sign this important petition.

But there’s never been a more important time for fighting progressives to stand together than right now. Medicare — one of our proudest achievements and a critical element of seniors’ economic security — is under attack.

Click here to stand with fighting progressives and help defend Medicare!

This isn’t the first time Republicans have tried to pass the Ryan plan, which would end Medicare as we know it and leave seniors out in the cold when it comes to health insurance. But the far right only has to win this fight once — we have to show that we’ll always be there to defend this important pillar of American society.

 By signing my petition, you won’t just be helping to defeat this latest Republican attack on Medicare. You’ll be sending them a clear signal that fighting progressives like you and me will always be there to fight back whenever Republicans threaten the economic security of American seniors.

The far right is determined to get its way sooner or later. They think it’s just a matter of time before our coalition cracks and our defense of Medicare weakens. They’re willing to try as many times as it takes.

We have to show them that we’ll never waver in our defense of Medicare. Please sign my petition today — let’s see how many fighting progressives we can put together to show the GOP that our coalition is stronger than ever.

It’s not enough to win this fight once. We have to make a strong enough statement that it resonates for years. We have to show Republicans that Medicare will always have defenders in the fighting progressives of America.

Click here to sign this important petition.

Thank you,