Healthcare Law Takes Effect

Several healthcare reform laws have gone into effect as of September 23, 2010. Health insurance carriers can no longer deny children coverage for their pre-existing conditions. Young adults can stay on their parents' plans until they reach the age of twenty-six. Policies can't be cancelled based on a technicality after you become sick or injuried. There will be no more caps on policy's lifetime maximum or on preventative care visits. Cancer screenings are going to be offered to policyholders with no copays. These changes are a step forward in terms of better comprehensive coverage for all Americans.

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COBRA subsidy has Ended

Since February 2009, Congress has extended the Cobra subsidy for unemployed workers four times. The last extension ended on May 31, 2010. Congress may consider reinstating the subsidy in the future, but for right now there is no indication that they will. The last day of May was the cutoff point for unemployed individuals to qualify for the subsidy. May 31 also marked the end of 15 month eligibility period for the initial group of unemployed workers who were covered under the Cobra subsidy program. Unemployed Americans are going to have to find health insurance coverage on the individual or group side asap. For more information, visit http://www.GizmoHealth.com.

Underwriting Rules are Starting to Loosen

Big News from the second largest health insurance carrier in Illinois, new underwriting guideline for applicants under the age of 19 and covered on their parent's plan. These applicants will no recieve medical riders on their policies. This will allow them to take full advantage of their medical benefits with exclusion interruption. Fore more information, call a GizmoHealth.com Agent at 1-312-884-5150. Or visit our user friendly website, at www.GizmoHealth.com.

Health Care Reform Passes

The House of Representatives passed the Senate version of the health care reform bill with a 219 to 212 vote. Moments later, a follow up health budget reconciliation bill was also passed with a 220 to 211 vote. Now, the reconciliation bill goes to the Senate for consideration. The new health care reform bill mandates that everyone must have health insurance coverage. This historical bill will provide coverage to more than 32 million Americans that were previous declined because of pre-existing conditions or were uninsured. The people who can't afford the coverage will receive subsidize to cover the cost. With this bill implemented, the landscape of the health insurance industry will forever be changed.

Gizmo Health, www.Gizmohealth.com: Time to Vote

The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on Sunday for the health care bill which was passed by the Senate back in December. Several Republicans are making a last minute stand to stop the bill requesting to start over from scratch. President Obama countered these efforts by rallying support by visiting univerisities and town hall meetings across the country. The President has also put pressure on certain members of Congress to sway their vote in favor of the bill. Even with a victory on Sunday, there will still be a lot of work to be done. The Senate will needs to pass the reconciliation fixes in legislation.

The health care bill will extend coverage to roughly 32 million Americans and cost nearly $940 billion over the next 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The bill will cut the deficit by $138 billion during those 10 years and reduce it by another $1.2 trillion over the next 10 years. President Obama postponed a trip to Indonesia and Australia until June, because he wanted to be here for this historical event and support the vote by delivering a low-key congratulatiory speech if the legisalation passes.

Decision Time for Health Care Reform

President Barrack Obama has requested that the Health Care Reform Bill be on his desk before Congress's Easter recess. Health Care Reform Bill is in the final stages of legislation with the respective versions of the House and Senate bills being merged into one concise version.

Follow the latest news on the Health Care Reform Bill with CNN:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/03/10/health.care.deadlines/index.html

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Premiums Scheduled to Skyrocket

In the face of reform, health insurance premiums will continue to skyrocket in the coming years. Several relaible sources have indicated that healthy individuals are choosing to dilute their benefits or cancel coverage all together to reduce stress on their monthly budget. While at the same time pushing the burden of increased premium to individuals in poor health that can't sacrifice their coverage levels. The Wall Street Journal published a very poignant article relating to the future trends of supply and demand for health care in the United States and the affect of the inflated insurance premium.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703315004575073013721784050.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLTopStories

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Is Health Care Reform in the Rear View Mirror?

This the scary realization that $1 out of every $5 spent in the United States will be going towards health care by the year 2020 (Stat. by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)). The importance of passing a comprehensive health care reform bill is even more pertinent. We as Americans need to address this issue to maintain our current level of quality care while at the same time reduce the overall cost.

In an effort to resuscitate the health care reform bill, President Obama has invited Republicans and Democrats to the White House for a February 25 summit. Whether this is just a way to encourage the passing of the current version of House's health care reform bill or to announce that health care reform is dead for 2010. The President truly believes he can get the patients up and moving again, "We've got to finish the job on health care. We've got to finish the job on financial regulatory reform. We got to finish the job, even though it's hard."

Senator elect Scott Brown (MA) was officially sworn into office on February 4, ahead of schedule to weaken the Democrats' supermajority in the Senate with a 59-41 chair difference.

Demcrats Lose a Seat to the Republicans

A victory for the Republicans on Captiol Hill has pushed the Health Care Reform Bill to the brink of defeat. On Wednesday, Republican Scott Brown won the Massachusetts seat in the Senate after defeating Democrat Martha Coakley. This victory creates an unusually situation for the Democrats in that they no longer are able to stop fillbusters and delay tactics by the Republicans. Now, Democrats only have 59 votes, one short of what is needed to pass the bill. This strips the Decromats of their 60 seat Senate majority and gives the Republicans enough votes to block most political measures imposed by the Democrats. This is a stunning blow to the Democrats just prior to the midterm elections.

There are a few options that the Democrats have to proceed with the health care bill. The House of Representatives can pass their version of the bill and send it directly to the President to be signed into law. The lawmakers could construct a new scaled-down draft of the bill that is capable of getting passed by both of the chambers. The Democrats could also try to push the health care bill through the Senate with only a 51 vote majority. This opens the door for Republicans to delay the process with technical and procedural issues. Republicans have already released a statement that requests proceedings to stop until Republican Brown has been sworn in and can vote on further legislation.

An Issue Divided

As of right now, the Healthcare Reform Bill has passed the House of Representatives and the Senate. It is currently awaiting further discussions to be merge it into one consensual bill that both parties must agree upon before it gets to President's desk. Democratic leaders hope to get it signed by early February before President Obama's State of the Union address. Although, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has admitted that this might be a tight deadline. Pelosi met with Democratic leaders in her office Tuesday afternoon to discuss politically contentious health care issues that might arise in the coming days between the two parties. They are excepting a vigorous fight from the Republican side to derail their efforts with additional amendments and lengthy debates.

The bill is passed, but where is it going? It seems as though there are many issues that need to be ironed out before the bill will be legisalation and the American people can benefit from it.

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