May 4, 2010
Commander George Kugler
PO Box 190
Big Arm, Montana 59910-0190
Dear George:
Thank you for contacting me about health care reform. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.
Meaningful reform of our nation's health care system is now a reality. These long-awaited improvements will help millions of American families get affordable access to medical services, enhance the quality of care in our country and put health care spending on a more sustainable path.
Many benefits go into effect right away, helping Americans meet their medical needs while sturdier reforms are put into place. No child will be denied health insurance coverage because of a pre-existing condition. Small businesses will receive tax credits for providing health insurance coverage to their employees. People currently considered uninsurable because of their medical history will get immediate relief as more comprehensive insurance reforms are phased in. Medicare and all new insurance plans will also fully cover wellness and prevention services. These are just a few of the reforms which Americans will see in the coming months.
Over the long-term, this law makes common sense changes to America's health care system that will expand access, increase quality and lower costs. These elements overlap, and by improving one area, we strengthen all three. Ensuring everyone has coverage not only opens up opportunities for quality care to those who lack it, it makes health care more affordable across the board. For example, Montanans who currently have health insurance are paying a hidden tax in their premiums of about $2,000 each year to offset the cost of uncompensated care to the uninsured. Because of reform, up to 93,000 Montana residents will qualify for tax credits to help them purchase health insurance coverage. As more Montanans become covered, uncompensated care will go down, and this will go a long way toward making that hidden tax disappear. Folks seeking coverage on their own will find insurance to be a lot more affordable, too. Insurance reforms will lower premiums in the non-group market by 14% to 20% for the same benefits - this means premium savings of $1,440 to $2,050 per year for a family in Montana. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act also expands Medicaid to provide thousands of low-income Montanans with health coverage.
There are many ways that this Act lowers Montanans' health care costs so that at the end of the day, they see more money in their pocket. Insurance plans will fully cover preventive health services. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and people will now be able to treat a condition sooner rather than wait until they are sicker and the treatment is more expensive. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act also encourages care coordination as a way to lower costs and improve health outcomes. This will help stem the rise in health care spending by creating incentives that promote quality care, rather than merely a high quantity of care.
Health care reform is vital not only to Americans' physical health, but to our country's fiscal health as well. Small businesses make up the backbone of our economy, and this law will benefit them in numerous ways. They will be able to participate in a statewide small business pool to bargain for better health insurance rates. Tax credits for providing insurance to their employees will boost their bottom line. And healthier workers are more productive workers, allowing small business to be even more competitive. About 26,000 small businesses in Montana will be eligible for these health insurance tax credits.
Senior citizens also have a lot to look forward to in health reform. The 160,000 seniors on Medicare in Montana will now receive free preventive services. Around 28,000 Montana seniors will get relief from their drug costs because this law finally closes the Medicare Part D "doughnut hole." Medicare Advantage plans will focus more on quality care for seniors, rather than excessive payments to the insurance providers.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act contains many other measures to smooth the rough edges of our health care system so that Montana families will no longer have to choose between paying their medical bills and putting food on the table. It prohibits pre-existing condition discrimination. It guarantees that if you like your current coverage, you can keep it. It creates health insurance exchanges to provide people with a one-stop shopping place for health insurance. The exchanges will also increase competition among health insurance plans, driving down the cost of premiums. Each state has an exchange, and they will be self-sustaining. And by eliminating lifetime and annual limits on health insurance benefits, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will prevent medical bankruptcy, a situation that has devastated thousands of families.
There is something to benefit everyone in health care reform. It expands coverage to the uninsured, and makes coverage stronger for those who already have it. It ensures that all children can get the care they need to grow up healthy, and it shores up Medicare so that it's still around when those very same children need to use it.
To see all of the ways the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will make our health care system work better, I encourage you to visit the Finance Committee website at http://finance.senate.gov/. There you can find the full text of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as well as summaries of the law and support materials to help you understand how these reforms will impact you.
Thanks again for getting in touch. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any additional comments or concerns. Also, feel free to visit my website at http://baucus.senate.gov/ for more information on current issues and to find out what I'm doing both here in Washington and at home to help Montana.
Sincerely,
PS: Now I know they have a staff of yo yo's routinely sending stock emails but you would expect, or should I say hope ... well, you got it straight from the' horse's ass. I have since found out from other sources that it is true that Muslims, Amish and Scientologists. Of course we know that the Amish aren't blowing anything up ... not sure about the future of Scientologists. If the rif raf rags dont stop calling Tom Cruise gay we could have one coming their way.
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