MYTH: We can't afford health insurance reform
FALSE!
FACT: We can't afford to wait. The cost of the status quo is too high.
Fact: Health insurance reform will reduce the federal deficit by $130 billion in the first ten years and $650 billion in the second ten years
Fact: On average, American families pay hidden costs of more than $1,000 per year to cover the uninsured
Fact: 518,000 Nevadans are uninsured
Fact: Every day, 14,000 Americans, including 220 Nevadans, lose their health coverage
Fact: Since 2000, healthcare premiums have gone up three times faster than wages
Fact: Currently, Americans spend more on healthcare than on housing or food
Fact: The United States spent approx. $2.2 trillion on healthcare in 2007, or $7,421 per person - nearly double the average of other developed nations
Fact: Without reform, America will spend $1 out of every $4 on our healthcare system by the year 2025
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MYTH: Health insurance reform with crush small businesses
FALSE!
FACT: Small businesses can't afford to wait for reform.
Here’s what Ron Nelson, a small business owner in Las Vegas, has to say, "Despite the down economy, my insurance costs keep going up. Every year the insurance company comes to me and asks for more money and every year I have to slowly cut benefits and make my employees pay more. Still, the premiums go up and the coverage goes down, despite these actions."
Fact: The average small business pays nearly 20 percent more per worker than a larger company for the same healthcare policy.
Fact: While making up 70% of Nevada businesses, only 49% of small businesses offered coverage benefits in 2008.
Fact: Under health insurance reform, 24,000 Nevada small businesses could receive a small business tax credit to make premiums more affordable.
Fact: Under the health insurance reform, small businesses will have more have more health insurance choices – increasing competition and driving down costs.
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MYTH: Health insurance reform is bad for seniors.
FALSE!
FACT: Health insurance reform will helps seniors by strengthening Medicare and lowering prescription drug costs.
Fact: Currently, approximately 58,200 Nevada Medicare beneficiaries hit the Medicare “donut hole”, or Medicare Part D coverage gap that can cost senior an estimated $4,080 a year on prescription drug medications..
Fact: Health insurance reform will reduce the Medicare “donut hole” and provide 50% discounts on brand-name prescription drugs and biologics for lower and middle-income seniors..
Fact: Currently, seniors must pay part of the cost of many preventive services on their own. For example, a colonoscopy that costs $756 will cost a Medicare beneficiary around $175..
Fact: Under health insurance reform, Medicare will cover the complete cost of preventive services like colonoscopies and mammograms, eliminating out-of-pocket costs needed for groceries, utility bills, and rent..
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MYTH: Health insurance will be available to illegal immigrants
FALSE!
FACT: Health insurance reform will not provide health insurance, subsidies or affordability tax credits to people in this country illegally.
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MYTH: Health insurance reform includes “Death Panels”
FALSE!
FACT: There are NO “Death Panels” in health insurance reform.
Fact: Numerous organizations have debunked this rumor, including Politifact.com, a non partisan website. The notion of the so called “death panels” is patently false and is a plain and simple scare tactic..
Fact: Health insurance reform ends insurance company discrimination based on age. .
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MYTH: Health insurance reform leads to rationing of care.
FALSE!
FACT: Currently, insurance company bureaucrats are rationing care.
Fact: Health insurance reform will put an end to that by cutting the red tape and leaving medical decisions to you and your doctor, not insurance companies or the government..
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