Analysis of Congressional health reform bills highlights similarities, differences, costs

New York, NY, October 23, 2009—A new Commonwealth Fund report analyzes the similarities, differences, potential impacts, and costs of current bills passed by the five committees of jurisdiction in the United States Congress: Finance Committee and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committees in the Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives' Ways and Means, Education and Labor, and Energy and Commerce committees.

The report, Provisions of Comprehensive Health Reform Bills of 2009: Health Insurance, Delivery System, and Financing, says all of the bills include provisions that:

• seek to expand and improve health care coverage by building on the strongest aspects of the United States' mixed public-private system—employer-sponsored insurance and Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program—while reorganizing and regulating the individual and small group insurance markets;
• establish requirements for insurers to offer coverage to all Americans who apply and prohibit them from denying coverage or charging more based on people's health;
• create a new health insurance exchange or exchanges;
• set an essential benefit standard for health insurance;
• provide subsidies to help people afford insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs;
• require all individuals to have health insurance;
• have employers share responsibility for financing coverage;
• improve health care quality and outcomes while controlling costs;
• invest in primary care and provide more funding for prevention and wellness; and
• test innovative provider payment methods.