Legislation
On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the comprehensive health reform legislation, the Patient Protection and Affordability Act into law. Read the summary written by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
While there is temporary relief for some, this costly new legislation will mostly enrich and further entrench the profit-driven, private health insurance industry. The bill would require millions of Americans to buy private insurers' defective products, and provide taxpayer subsidies to for-profit health plans. Only a single payer national health care program can successfully keep costs down, cover everyone with comprehensive care and maintain high quality.
H.R. 676: “The United States National Health Insurance Act (Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act)”
One way to provide all Texans with comprehensive, affordable health care is to pass national legislation that would apply to all Americans. Such a bill has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.
H.R. 676, or “The United States National Health Insurance Act (Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act),” provides all individuals residing in the United States and its territories comprehensive health care coverage. All medically necessary care would be provided, such as primary care and prevention, prescription drugs, emergency care, mental health and substance abuse services, long term care, chiropractic, hearing, vision and dental services. No deductibles, co-payments, co-insurance, or other cost-sharing will be required.
H.R. 676 was designed to serve the best interests of all Americans, not the interests of the insurance or pharmaceutical industries. Much misinformation is being generated to persuade us to not support passage of H.R. 676. We are being told it will raise taxes. The truth is that under H.R. 676, the average family’s overall health care costs will decrease. Predictable tax increases will replace unpredictable increases in premiums, co-payments, deductibles, co-insurance, and other out-of-pocket costs.
Check to see if your U.S. Representatives have signed on to H.R. 676. If they haven’t, send an email or letter stating you want them to support H.R. 676, the health care bill that brings everybody in and leaves nobody out.
Read H.R. 676 for yourself.
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Health Care For All Texas
S. 703: "American Health Security Act of 2009"
This bill proposes the establishment of nationwide health security programs that provide all U.S. citizens, national, or lawful resident aliens with health care. Each state must have a health security program. Private companies are not allowed to sell plans that duplicate benefits provided under the program.
The benefits offered by the American Health Security Act would replace the following programs: Medicare, Medicaid, State Children's Health Insurance (SCHIP) of the Social Security Act, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, and the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS).
S. 703 also sets up an American Health Security Standards Board which would oversee the functioning and budget of the national health services program. Additionally, an American Health Security Advisory Council and an Advisory Committee on Health Professional Education would be created.
An American Health Security Quality Council would be put in place to oversee practice guidelines, medical review criteria, and minimum competence standards. It would also perform quality control reviews and performance evaluations. An Office of Primary Care and Prevention Research would be established as part of the Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The program would be paid for using a trust fund financed by tax liabilities and current health program receipts.
Read S. 703 for yourself.
Quote Note
"Historically, government, whether in the hands of Republicans or Democrats, conservatives or liberals, has failed its responsibilities, until forced to by direct action…"
Howard Zinn, Historian Activist
State Single Payer Bills
Single Payer is health care based on need, not ability to pay
