St. John Valley Times: Troy Jackson: 'How Will You Be Impacted By the Affordable Care Act?'

ONLINE FIRST: ST. JOHN VALLEY – The Affordable Care Act has raised many  comments, both positive and negative, that have confused many people across the  nation with respect to the impact of this law. The confusion results from the  serious lack of details of the law as reported in newspapers and other media.    One point, however, is clear: The public believes that the cost of health care  has and continues to climb out-of-reach of most middle and working class  families.
The cost of health insurance similarly has risen dramatically  for many years and is now out of reach for millions of Americans and tens of  thousands of Mainers.   Many have lost their homes and jobs as a result of  cataclysmic health care bills that working and middle class families cannot  afford.
As the Senator for Senate District 35 in northern Aroostook  County, I feel that the citizens in my district should be provided with some of  the details of the Affordable Care Act, and they can determine how the Act  impacts them.

The Affordable Care Act:
– Prohibits insurance  companies from canceling insurance policies for no reason at all.
–  Prohibits insurance companies from charging women more for health insurance  coverage than charged to men.
– Prohibits insurance companies from  denying health insurance coverage for a pre-existing condition, such as  pregnancy, cancer, chronic diseases such as diabetes, or a medical event that  occurred many years ago and has never occurred since.
– Prohibits annual  and life-time insurance caps on health care benefits.
– Allows children  to remain on their parents’ health insurance plans until they turn 26 years of  age.
– Requires that all individuals not covered by an employer sponsored  health plan, Medicaid, or Medicare or other insurance program to purchase  insurance.   Health insurance exchanges will offer a market place where  individuals and small businesses can compare policies and premiums, and buy  insurance – with government subsidy if eligible.
– Provides Insurance  subsidies and cost sharing for persons with low incomes.   Households with  incomes above 100 percent and up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level FPL  will be eligible for federal subsidies on a sliding scale.
– A family of  four at 150 percent FPL would pay no more than a $50 per month health insurance  premium.
– A small business can get subsidies if it purchases health  insurance through an Insurance Exchange. Businesses with less than 50 employees  are not required to purchase health insurance for employees.
– Provides  tax credits for small businesses with no more than 25 employees to ease the  burden of health insurance. If the business pays its employees up to $25,000,  the tax credit can be up to 50 percent of their contribution to  premiums.
– Closes the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug coverage gap  [doughnut hole] for seniors and other citizens. Fifty percent of the gap was  eliminated in 2011, and the gap is entirely eliminated in 2020.
– Expands  Medicaid coverage to low-income children and parents that do not have  Medicaid.
– Reduces out-of-pocket costs for certain preventative health  care services.
– Requires insurers selling policies to individuals or  small groups to spend at least 80 percent of premiums on direct medical care and  efforts to improve the quality of care. For insurers selling to large groups, 85  percent of premiums must be spent on direct medical care. In both situations,  insurance companies must provide rebates on premiums if they do not meet the  required percentages.
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