The farking bill passed.I'm going to attempt to cut through all the BS and TRY to assemble what I think the bill's passage will mean. This will be a work in progress, so check back.
Takes effect January 1st, 2014.
1. You may be able to find a cheaper policy from an out of state insurance company that is currently barred from encroaching on your state's monopolized health insurance system.
2. Depending on your income, your policy may also be partially subsidized.
3. If you make a lot of money (not sure where the balance point will be), you may see your costs rise - particularly for an unlimited plan (not sure what that actually is). Had there been a public option in the bill - or even the right to buy into Medicare - a solid basic option would have likely been available to you at lower cost.
4. It supposedly will cost $940,000,000,000.
5. Your taxes will rise.
Yoinked from Consumerist:
-Insurance for families of four making up to $88,000 (or 400% of the federal poverty level) will be subsidized.
-Medicaid is being expanded to cover those making up to 133% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, that would be approx. $29,000.
-Families earning over $250,000 will see an increase in the amount of money the pay to Medicare from their paychecks.
-Insurance companies that provide high-end health plans (those valued at over $8,500 for an individual or $23,000 for families) will see a significant tax increase.
-You will be required to have health insurance or be fined either $750 or 2% of your income. A compromise package, passed at the same time as the Senate bill, would change those numbers to $695 or 2.5% of your income.
-Companies with more than 50 employees will be required to provide coverage or pay $750 per employee that relies on government subsidies for their insurance. The compromise package ups this to $2,000 per employee.
-Any woman wishing to use federally subsidized coverage for an abortion -- except in the case of rape, incest or danger to the mother's life -- will have to pay out of pocket or seek private insurance.
-Parents will be permitted to keep their children on their health care plans until age 26.
UPDATE:
Reuters has a good list of everything in the bill.
