Breaking Down Health Care Reform
The time has come to be aware, but time will tell if you need to “beware” By Lisa J. Hudson
Following the passage of historic health
care reform bills in the United States, what most want to know is, “How will this leg- islation impact me?” Depending on who the “me” is, you are going to get a different answer. First, there is the individual who either has or does not have health care coverage. Ten, there is the employee of a company that either does or does not currently offer health care coverage. Fi- nally, there is the business owner who is caught in the middle. To say the law is complex is a vast under-
statement. Certain provisions will not kick in for a number of years, including those following the upcoming mid-term congres- sional elections and the 2012 presidential election. Additionally, as of this writing, the federal government had yet to issue the regulations for implementing and comply- ing with the laws. As they continue to be developed, more changes may come. Tere’s no one-size-fits-all explanation of how businesses are impacted. Variables
that change the “how” include, but are not limited to:
•Te number of full-time employees at the company
• If your business already offers health care coverage
•Whether or not the plan your business offers meets the new federal require- ments of a “qualified” plan (that would exempt individuals and employer from various penalties)
•What your state’s new “exchange” (a marketplace
where those without
health coverage could shop for it) will look like
•Te reasons behind why your employees may not have health care coverage (i.e. for personal reasons, such as pre-existing con- ditions, or for other affordability reasons)
As a result, the subject generates a lot of
anxiety and confusion. So given all of the above, readers need to remember these
38 School Transportation News Magazine June 2010
caveats: the dust has yet to settle. Te complicated provisions are difficult to describe in tidy categories. On the other hand, it’s critical for you to have informa- tion on what the picture looks like now in order to make informed decisions.
What Happened in March On March 23, 2010, President Obama
signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or PPAC (PL 111-148). Tis included a corresponding manager’s amendment package. Tis law extends access to coverage for
the uninsured and prevents individuals from being denied insurance for pre-ex- isting conditions. Te provisions include multi-state insurance exchanges; the increase of the Medicare payroll tax for high-income filers; and the institution of tax credits to qualifying individuals and small businesses,
including non-profits,
for purchasing health insurance. On March 30, President Obama
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