H.R. 3962: The Affordable Health Care for America Act

The Affordable Health Care for America Act blends and updates the three versions of previous bills passed by the House committees of jurisdiction in July, and embodies President Obama’s key goals for health reform. It will slow the growth in out-of-control costs, introduce competition into the health care marketplace to keep coverage affordable and insurers honest, protect people’s choices of doctors and health plans, and assure all Americans access to quality, stable, affordable health care.

Click Here for an analysis of how the Affordable Health Care for America Act will benefit California's 13th District.

The legislation will ensure that 96 percent of Americans will be covered by a quality, affordable health plan. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the cost of expanding coverage at $894 billion, consistent with the $900 billion coverage mark laid out by President Obama. And the legislation will be paid for. CBO estimates the bill reduces the deficit by at least $30 billion over 10 years.

BILL SUMMARY DOCUMENTS:

• Affordable Health Care for America: Summary
• Detailed Summary
• Immediate Investments on the Road to Reform
  • Top 14 Provisions That Take Effect Immediately
• Topline Changes from H.R. 3200
• Timeline for Implementation
  • Top 10 Changes To The Bill
• Section-by-Section summary

PAYING FOR REFORM:

• Health Care Surcharge and Households
• Health Care Surcharge and Small Businesses
• Summary of Revenue Provisions
• Joint Committee on Taxation: Estimated Revenue Effects

• Top Ten Ways Health Insurance Reform Works For You
• What You Need To Know About Health Reform
• The Cost of Inaction
• Health Care By The Numbers
• Talking Points
• Myths Vs. Facts
• Lowering Costs Over the Long Term
• District-By-District Impact

• Health Insurance Exchange
• Public Health Insurance Option
• Consumer Protections and Insurance Market Reforms
• Guaranteed Benefits
• Making Coverage Affordable


• Strengthening Medicare
• Improving the Medicare Part D Drug Program
• Meeting Health Care Needs of Senior Citizens and People with Disabilities
• Restoring Equity Between Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage
• Maintaining and Improving Medicaid

• Strengthening the Nation’s Health Workforce
• Delivery System Reforms
• Protecting Program Integrity by Preventing Waste, Fraud and Abuse
• Preventing Disease/Improving The Public's Health

• Shared Responsibility
• Employers and Health Reform
• Small Business Guide

• Meeting Women`s Health Care Needs
• What's In It For Young Americans
• Addressing Health and Health Care Disparities
• Rural Health
• Indian Health

Simultaneous to the introduction of the health reform legislation, Members also introduced critically important companion legislation, The Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act.  The bill replaces Medicare’s broken physician payment formula with a stable system that ends the cycle of deep cuts followed by short-term fixes followed by the threat of ever deeper cuts.  The legislation will guarantee that beneficiaries continue to enjoy excellent access to physicians of their choice in Medicare, and complement the additional payment and delivery system reforms in the comprehensive health reform legislation.
 
Reforming Medicare’s physician payment formula is a key component of health reform and Rep. Stark is committed to enacting both of these vital bills into law.

 BILL SUMMARY DOCUMENTS:

• Fact Sheet
• Letters of Support