Effects of the Healthcare Reform in Delaware

Without Healthcare Reform in Delaware and across the country, an increase of 30% would likely have been seen in the numbers of people without medical insurance in the United States by 2019. Though the numbers would vary from state to state, every state would show an increase of over 10% in those who are uninsured. In at least 45 states, we would have seen the number of uncompensated care cases double. In over half of the country, health insurance premiums for businesses would also double, while overall employer coverage would decrease. These increases would have hit families and businesses hardest and also put strain on state government resources.

New laws will expand coverage to millions of Americans and will reduce premiums. They also establish a security net against coverage loss due to job loss or job transfer, while helping small businesses obtain quality, affordable health care by encouraging competition in the health insurance market. This will ensure low costs and competitive services.

Residents across the state benefit as the Delaware Health Insurance Reform causes significant changes.

• It allows 109,000 currently uninsured residence and 29,000 residents who only have expensive non-group insurance to obtain affordable coverage using a health insurance exchange.
  
  
• It provides tax credits for as many as 69,300 residents to help them purchase health insurance.
  
  
• It expands Medicare to give as many as 140,000 seniors access to free preventive services.
  
  
• It fixes the Medicare prescription coverage gap, helping as many as 25,000 seniors obtain brand name prescriptions.
  
  
• It provides small business tax credits to reduce the pain of health insurance premiums.

Proposals about Health Care Reform in Delaware will come into effect in 2010 and 2011 and ensure that families, seniors, and small businesses all have access to high-quality, less expensive health care.

Financial Relief Propositions from the Healthcare Reform in Delaware

The Delaware health insurance reform will help 873,000 residents as they gain the following benefits:

• Increased consumer protection. Insurance companies will be prevented from establishing lifetime limits on healthcare coverage or arbitrarily dropping coverage. They will follow guidelines in establishing annual limits.
  
  
• Immediate options for residents who can't obtain health insurance, even those with conditions such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure (an approximate more than 30% of the population). Those categorized as "high risk" will be able to find affordable health insurance.
  
  
• Preventative services at no cost, as well as increased investment in wellness/prevention programs.
  
  
• Increased coverage for early retirees. Over the past decade, this coverage has declined. Reforms could reduce premiums for retirees and their families as much as $1,200.
  
  
• Reduced Medicare premiums by the elimination of overpayments towards private companies.
  
  
• Increased prescription drug coverage through a reduction in the "doughnut hole" coverage gap and a substantive discount on drugs.
  
  
• Free preventive services for seniors. For instance, an $800 colonoscopy would be covered for free. They would also benefit from wellness plans that encourage healthy living.
  
  
• Tax credits for health care investment for small businesses.

In addition, states would benefit through the overall reduction of state employee premiums and reducing the level of uncompensated care.

The Delaware Health Insurance Reform Respects the Decision of Families.

The Healthcare Reform in Delaware will establish an insurance exchange that provides choices to all families no matter if they lose their jobs, move, or develop a pre-existing condition. In addition, it will end the "hidden tax" that results in the cost of uncompensated care being passed on to the state, and through it to the taxpayers. Community-based services, as well as long-term care, will be increasingly covered as well.

These increased services will partially be covered by reducing preventable readmissions-currently over 20% of discharged Medicare patients return to the hospital within a month. Reforming the bureaucracy can reduce paperwork and reduce the $68,000 per year they spend on paper-pushing. Residents from all walks of life stand to benefit from Healthcare Reform in Delaware.