Suggested Reading Every well-informed voter knows that a multitude of details accompany every political issue that we, as citizens face. |
| We'll be adding to these over time. |
| Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Alternative Abortion history The Supreme Court Justice reflects on a case that might have changed the legal history of Abortion Rights in the US. The Inner Quest of Newt Gingrich
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"Chris Christie vetoed the NJ Marriage Equality Bill. The only same sex union he recognizes is the one between Ben & Jerry."
- Frank Conniff
Written on Sunday, 19 February 2012 03:14 in Laughs
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| The Immediate Benefits of Health Reform |
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| Written by Administrator |
| Tuesday, 23 March 2010 23:45 |
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After an exhaustive year of debate, President Obama signed into law a health reform bill that will lower costs for American families and small businesses, expand coverage to millions and end the worst insurance company practices --- something Presidents have tried to do for decades. And these benefits will begin to take effect this year. The Senate will still need to pass some technical corrections to the bill, but now that it has been signed, Americans will begin to see the benefits of health reform this year, with additional important changes coming later. American families and small businesses will see costs go down immediately because of this bill. In 2010 the bill will: · Make providing employee coverage more affordable for small businesses by giving a tax credit of up to 35% of premiums to small businesses that choose to offer coverage.
Health reform will immediately expand coverage This year:
In the next fiscal year:
Immediately, health reform will strengthen consumer protections and reign in insurance companies. This bill will ensure consumers can appeal decisions private insurers make about their plans by creating a new, independent appeals process beginning this year. The bill will crack down on insurance companies and ensure they are spending your premium dollars on medical services – in the individual and small group market, insurers will be required to spend 80 percent of premiums on medical services and for the large group market, they’ll be required to spend 85 percent. Insurers who don’t meet those requirements will have to send rebates to policyholders. This will begin on January 1, 2011. Insurers will no longer be able to discriminate based on income beginning this year. For new group plans, insurers will not be able to implement eligibility rules that unfairly benefit higher-wage employees. This bill will end the practice of unreasonably hiking up rates beginning in 2011. Insurance companies will be required to submit justification for all premium increase requests. Companies who make excessive increases or cannot justify increases, may not be allowed in the new health insurance exchanges. The bill will help states create consumer assistance offices with funding coming this fiscal year. These offices will help consumers file complaints or appeal decisions from insurance companies. |
| Last Updated on Tuesday, 23 March 2010 23:58 |
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2012 National Key: (C) Caucus (P) Primary
* Missouri will hold a primary on February 7th, which will not count for delegates toward the GOP convention. The Missouri Republican Party will hold a caucus on March 17th, which will determine the delegates sent to the GOP convention |