IF YOU CAN'T GET INSURANCE BECAUSE OF A PRE-EXISTING CONDITION:
The insurance companies will no longer be allowed to exclude you. You will be able to get comprehensive health care coverage that will include existing health conditions.
IF YOU CAN'T GET INSURANCE BECAUSE YOU ARE UNEMPLOYED AND CAN'T AFFORD AN INDIVIDUAL POLICY:
Health care reform will
1.Make insurance more affordable,
2.Provide subsidies for those who can't afford it, and
3.Provide an "exchange" (a selection of public and private health care plans) from which you can choose the plan that you prefer.
Bottom line: you will be able to get affordable, meaningful health care coverage even if you are unemployed.
IF YOU ALREADY HAVE HEALTH CARE COVERAGE THAT YOU ARE HAPPY WITH:
1.Your insurance company won't be able to drop you because you develop cancer or some other chronic illness as they can and do now;
2.You won't lose your coverage because you change jobs; and
3.The cost of your coverage will not double in the next decade as it is likely to do if we don't enact reform. So . . . your employer will have more money available to continue paying you, and possibly even give you a raise!
IF YOU ARE A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER WHO CAN'T AFFORD HEALTH INSURANCE FOR YOUR FAMILY AND/OR FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES:
You will be able to include your business in much larger coverage pools so that you can purchase employee coverage at rates that are currently available only to large employers.
IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY AN EMPLOYEE WHO HAS HEALTH INSURANCE, BUT YOU WANT TO CHANGE JOBS, RETIRE, OR START YOUR OWN BUSINESS, BUT YOU CAN'T BECAUSE YOU WILL LOSE YOUR HEALTH COVERAGE:
You can now make your economic and career decisions on the basis of economic and career considerations, because regardless of your employment situation you will be able to acquire or maintain affordable health care coverage.
IF YOU ARE A SENIOR WHO IS COVERED BY MEDICARE:
You will maintain the broad coverage you have now, including the unfettered relationship between you and the doctor of your choosing. The main thing that will change for you is that the "donut hole" for prescriptions will be either eliminated or greatly reduced, so you will not have to spend your life savings on medications.
IF YOU ARE NOT YET ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE:
Health care reform will lower costs of medical care, thus enabling Medicare to remain solvent and be available at the time that you reach retirement age.
