Debunking Common Myths
Myth: The Public Plan Is No Longer An Option
Senator Reid supports the creation of a public option that would keep the insurance companies honest and provide care that puts patients first.
- The objective remains to develop legislation that reduces costs, improves outcomes, and protects choice and provide stability and security to our health care system. Senator Reid is working tirelessly to bring both sides of the aisle together and is hopeful that a quality, comprehensive, bi-partisan bill is within reach.
- Under the proposed health insurance reform bill, Americans would have the choice of private insurance company plans and also the option to choose coverage from a public plan. This public option would be offered through the health insurance exchange and would compete on a level playing field with private insurance plans to ensure private insurers operate honestly and reduce costs while improving services. Those who choose the public option would pay premiums for their coverage, and the public plan would use those premiums for operating expenses.
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Myth: Reform Will Lead To Government Takeover/Socialized Medicine
There would be no government takeover of health care under the proposed bills.
- In the current health care system, insurance companies hold more power than doctors and patients. They can decide whether to cover treatments, procedures and routine doctor visits, and they set prices based on profits, not patient care. Health insurance reform would mean that insurers could no longer discriminate against patients women, those with health conditions, and it would limit age discrimination.
- Under a reformed a health insurance market, Americans would continue to make their own health care decisions with their doctors and would still be able to choose their own doctor and health insurance plan. Moreover, health insurance reform would mean higher quality care and would empower physicians and patients with better information on what treatments work and incentives to provide higher quality and more integrated and coordinated care.
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Myth: The Government Will Force Americans Into Public Plan
No one would ever be forced into the public option.
- The only way someone would be in the public plan is if they choose to enroll in it.
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Myth: Private Health Insurance Will Be Illegal
Neither the Senate nor the House draft bills makes private insurance illegal.
- The draft bills actually ensure that if you like what you have, you can keep it. Estimates from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office demonstrate that millions more Americans will join private insurance coverage under the plans.
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Myth: Reform Will Lead To Employers Dropping Coverage & Hurting Small Business
The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office projects that more employers are likely to provide coverage under the bill – and just over 3% of Americans would actually choose the public option.
- The bills strengthen the employer-based system through shared responsibility of government, consumers and businesses alike. As a result, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that there would be no loss of employer-sponsored coverage under these bills.
- The proposed bills offer small businesses tax credits to help pay for insurance. Further, small businesses would be exempt from the requirement of purchasing insurance for their workers.
- Health insurance reform would also establish health insurance exchanges where small businesses would have more bargaining power that would allow them to get better value for their health care spending.
- The proposed bills would reform health insurance markets thus prohibiting insurance companies from using pre-existing conditions as a way to deny health coverage to individuals. The bills would also prohibit insurance companies from charging individuals and small businesses higher rates based on health status, claims, or gender and limit age discrimination.
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Myth: We Cannot Afford To Fix Health Care
The cost of health insurance reform would be fully paid for over ten years.
- In fact, health insurance reform would make health care more efficient, reduce waste, fraud and abuse, and prevent expensive diseases before they occur.
- The cost we should be looking at is the cost of doing nothing. If health insurance reform fails, in 2030, family incomes would be $10,000 lower than if health insurance reform succeeds.
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Myth: Reform Will Lead To Rationing Of Care
Nothing would interrupt the relationship between you and your doctor or prevent you from making the best health care decisions.
- Under our current system, the health insurance industry already rations care. They even acknowledge that they do so, restricting coverage of procedures and tests like MRIs and CAT scans and denying coverage for pre-existing conditions.
- The draft reform bills would ensure that people get the health care that they need, despite pre-existing conditions. It also ensures that doctors would have the best information available on what would work best for you.
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Myth: Reform Will End Medicare
Health insurance reform does not cut Medicare benefits for seniors – it is about strengthening Medicare.
- The health insurance reform bills actually improve the Medicare program by extending solvency, bringing down Part B premiums and ensuring adequate provider reimbursement so that they can continue to see Medicare patients.
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Myth: The Bill Has Death Panels & Encourages Euthanasia
The proposed House bill allows Medicare to pay physicians for counseling when their patients ask for assistance with end of life planning– such as hospice and living wills.
- The bills in Congress do not force anyone – including Medicare beneficiaries -- to discuss how they wish to die.
- The House and Senate bills do not mandate that people seek counseling on end of line planning. They simply provide reimbursement to physicians who provide that service to their patients who ask for that service.
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Myth: Illegal Immigrants Will Receive Free Health Insurance
Language in both the House and Senate draft bills explicitly prohibits federal payments for “undocumented aliens.”
- The Senate bill defines those who are eligible for premium credits as “a citizen or national of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence or an alien lawfully present in the United States.”
- The House bill states, “Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States.”
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Myth: Abortion Coverage Will Be Mandated
Abortion coverage will not be mandated.
- Nothing in any of the bills moving through Congress mandates abortion coverage or coverage of any other medical procedure.
- The House passed bill includes language explicitly barring the use of public funds for abortion. Public funding of abortion would be permitted only as under current law, which is in cases of rape, incest or when the woman’s life is in danger
- The Senate health insurance reform legislation also includes a conscience clause - this allows institutions, including those like Catholic hospitals, to make decisions about whether or not to provide abortions without having to worry that their decision will shut them out of insurance provider networks.
- None of the bills change the Hyde amendment, which bars federal funds for abortion except in cases of rape, incest or when the woman’s life is in danger.
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Myth: Congress Is Exempt From The Reform
The bills do not exempt the health plans that Members of Congress enroll in from the reforms.
- Members of Congress’ health care plans would be subject to the same rules as all other employer-sponsored plans, and an amendment adopted in committee would require Members of Congress to participate in the new exchange.
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Myth: The Government Will Have Direct Access To Your Bank Accounts
Health insurance reform would not give the government access to your bank account.
- The draft reform bill streamlines billing and payments between doctors and insurance companies – it has nothing to do with patients’ bank accounts.
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The Path to College
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