The major aim of the Health Reform Act is to make health insurance more widely available, but especially to make it more available to the poor. With new regulations on rates and health care and developments with new maximums and tax credits, health insurance is becoming more affordable. Through the Health Reform Act, many changes are being implemented to bring a higher quality of health insurance to the poor.
Insurance Will Become More Affordable
With the help of the Health Reform Act, people who have incomes at 400 percent for the federal poverty level will be able to receive credits that will limit the percent of their income used to pay for insurance. People who receive these subsidies will not have to pay any more than 12 percent of their income, even if their insurance is through their employers, with the poorest percentage paying no more than 1.5 percent of their income.
The Quality of Health Care Will Improve
Some might worry that those who receive health care at a lower rate than others because of their lower income would, in turn, receive a lower quality of care. However, new mandates will prevent this from happening. Doctors will receive new bonuses and new incentive programs will be established in hospitals to encourage doctors to provide the best possible care with the lowest possible readmission rates.
New Improvements to Medicaid and Medicare
The quality and quantity of benefits to people who qualify for Medicaid and Medicare will both improve under the Health Reform Act. Medicare has begun covering the entire cost of yearly wellness visits and prevention plan services, and a new program goes into effect this October that will offer home and community based care over institutionalized care for the disabled.
New Regulations for Premiums
The Health Reform Act will also implement new regulations to ensure that health care remains affordable to everyone. Medicaid will now be open to people making up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level and insurance providers are required to cover more medical costs than ever before. Some businesses will be eligible for a tax credit to encourage them to provide insurance coverage to their employees.
New Maximums Have Been Set
Under the Health Reform Act, insurance providers will no longer be able to set caps on the amount of insurance they provide, so people of all economic situations will be able to receive care as long and as often as they need. Additionally, maximums on out of pocket pay will change for everyone, with special attention being paid to ensure the poor do not pay more than they can afford.
Health care is expensive, and the only way to offset the cost is by paying for insurance every month – but for some people, even taking money out of their budget to pay a premium isn’t an option. With the help of the Health Reform Act, more people than ever before will be able to take advantage of health insurance and all the benefits that come with it at a much more affordable cost.