Historic Measure Expands Health Coverage

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This is the VOA Special English Economics Report, from http://voaspecialenglish.com The United States has a new health care reform law. The main goal is to insure about thirty-two million additional people. That is about ninety-five percent of Americans who are not already covered by Medicare, the government insurance program for older people. About sixteen million people will be added to Medicaid, the government health plan for the poor. The law will require Americans to have health insurance, with a few exceptions, or pay a fine starting in four years. Also, in four years, employers with more than fifty workers will have to offer their employees a health insurance plan. Employers will pay a fine for each uninsured worker. Smaller businesses will receive tax credits to help pay for health plans. People not covered by employer plans, Medicaid or Medicare could buy health insurance in marketplaces called exchanges. The idea is that competition among plans will drive down costs. States will provide these exchanges by twenty fourteen. The law is the biggest change in American health care since nineteen sixty-five. But it is not a government operated health care system like the ones in other countries. President Obama said it provides limited reform. He said: So this is not radical reform. But it is major reform. This legislation will not fix everything that ails our health care system. But it moves us decisively in the right direction. Barry Arbuckle

Published 2010-04-22 · Watch on YouTube ↗
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