Get the Facts Straight on Health Reform
There's a lot of misinformation out there. For too long, too many hard working Americans paid the price for policies that handed free rein to insurance companies. President Obama’s health reform law gives hard working families the security they deserve. The Affordable Care Act holds insurance companies accountable, lowers health care costs, gives Americans more freedom and control in their health care choices and improves the quality of care.
Myth de-bunked
Myth de-bunkend
Health insurance reform will NOT use your tax dollars to fund abortions.
Fact
The health insurance reform legislation maintains the status quo of no federal funding for abortions, except in cases of rape, incest or when the life of the woman is endangered. A federal judge recently wrote "the express language of the [Affordable Care Act] does not provide for taxpayer funded abortion. That is a fact and it is clear on its face."
Quick Stat
More than 105 million Americans no longer have lifetime dollar limits on their coverage:
Under the new health care law, insurers can no longer impose lifetime dollar limits on care and annual limits are being phased out by 2014.
Myth de-bunked
Myth de-bunked
Businesses will NOT suffer under health reform
Fact
Health insurance reform lowers costs for American businesses - especially small businesses - who are struggling to remain profitable and competitive under the status quo. The independent Congressional Budget Office confirmed that the bill would lower health insurance premiums for the same insurance plan by up to 4 percent for small businesses and 3 percent for large businesses, and estimates indicate that reform could save businesses $2,000 per person in health costs.
Quick Stat
Since September 2010, approximately 3.1 million young adults have gained coverage through the provision of the Affordable Care Act that enables children up to the age of 26 to stay on their parents’ health insurance plan.
Myth de-bunked
Myth de-bunked
The Affordable Care Act will help bring down the cost of health care.
Fact
The health policy experts and economists who have looked at this legislation have said we are pursuing every possible mechanism to reduce health care costs. The Congressional Budget Office found that health insurance reform will reduce the deficit by $210 billion in this decade and by more than $1 trillion over the following 10 years.
Quick Stat
More Americans have access to free preventive services:
In 2011, approximately 54 million Americans had their prevention coverage improve in their private health insurance plans. And an estimated 37 million seniors with Medicare have received one or more free preventive services.
Myth de-bunked
Myth de-bunked
Health reform will NOT lead to a government takeover of health care.
Fact
One independent group actually called this myth the “lie of the year.” The Affordable Care Act puts people, not health insurance companies or government, in charge of health care. The new law strengthens the existing employer-based health insurance market while making the market fair for consumers by implementing landmark consumer protections. Families and individuals that don't have access to affordable coverage can receive tax credits to help them purchase coverage in the private health insurance market. There is no government-sponsored, public, or "single payer" plan in the law.
Quick Stat
Thanks in part to new tools and resources provided by the Affordable Care Act, health care fraud prevention and enforcement efforts recovered nearly $4.1 billion in taxpayer dollars in Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 and $10.7 billion over the last three years.
Myth de-bunked
Myth de-bunked
Employers will not stop offering insurance to their workers when the law is implemented.
Fact
Independent analyses conducted by the RAND Corporation, Urban Institute, the Congressional Budget Office and Mercer, have found that employers will continue to offer health coverage to their workers. Economists agree that employers offer health insurance to help attract and retain the most talented employees and employers will continue to seek out top talent. Further, when health reform was enacted in Massachusetts more than five years ago, the percent of businesses offering insurance in Massachusetts increased.
Quick Stat
In every state and for the first time ever, insurance companies are required to publicly justify their actions if they want to raise rates by 10 percent or more and more states have the authority to reject unreasonable premium increases.