Congresswoman Laura Richardson Acts To Bring Improved Access To Healthcare To Millions Of Americans, Including Nearly 300,000 Uninsured And Underinsured People In The 37th Congressional District
Press Release
Congresswoman Laura Richardson Acts To Bring Improved Access To Healthcare To Millions Of Americans, Including Nearly 300,000 Uninsured And Underinsured People In The 37th Congressional District
Today, Congresswoman Laura Richardson acted to improve the lives of the people and families of the 37th District by voting to end the inequality that currently exists in the nation's healthcare system, where millions of people have found their basic medical needs ignored because of how much money they have, the communities they live in and prior conditions they have suffered. Congresswoman Richardson and her colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives today passed the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010.
"While this legislation does not include an comprehensive full public option as the House of Representatives preferred, it is a giant step forward in beginning the reform of our nation's current neglectful healthcare system," Congresswoman Richardson said.
Top Benefits of H.R. 4872, The Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010:
· Prohibits annual and lifetime limits
· Eliminates rescissions for individuals who become ill while insured
· Bans coverage denials for pre-existing conditions
· Reduces the cost of preventive care
· Improves Medicare benefits by providing free preventive and wellness care, improving primary and coordinated care, and enhancing nursing home care
· Closes the Medicare prescriptions Part D donut hole, saving seniors more than $700 a year in 2011 and more than $3,000 by 2020
· Allows young adults to remain on their parents' policies until they turn 26 years of age
· Lets small businesses with 100 employees or less to join an affordable health insurance exchanges that many corporations have enjoyed for decades
· Extends coverage to 95 percent of all Americans (32 million more people than currently covered they typically wait until they are so ill they need to crowd into emergency rooms for care.
· Provides $11 billion in new funding for these community health centers
"Right here in the 37th District, more than 90,000 people who are currently uninsured will now be able to have affordable access to coverage," Congresswoman Richardson added. "Our 17,500 neighbors who have pre-existing conditions that have prevented them from getting decent coverage will finally be able to find insurance plans that they qualify for and more than 60,000 of our seniors will see their Medicare benefits improve.
"Today, March 21, more than one year after this debate began; this legislation lays the foundation for meeting the healthcare needs of all of America's families," Congresswoman Richardson said. "As I continue to serve the constituents of the 37th Congressional District, I will work hard to make sure that we build on HR 4872 to strengthen the language and amend for areas not covered, so no one will be left to fall through the cracks and all families have the tools and access they need to be healthy and productive Americans."
Direct Benefits to the 37th Congressional District:
· Improve coverage for 299,000 residents with health insurance
· Give tax credits to up to 146,000 families and 15,100 small businesses to help them afford coverage
· Improve Medicare for 63,000 beneficiaries, including closing the donut hole, saving seniors more than $700 a year in 2011 and more than $3,000 by 2020
· Extend coverage to 92,500 uninsured residents
· Guarantee that 17,500 residents with pre-existing conditions can obtain coverage
· Protect 1,100 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs
· Allow 59,000 young adults to obtain coverage on their parents' insurance plans
· Provide millions of dollars in new funding for 11 community health centers
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