“Today, the Congress and President Obama brought long overdue reform to the American health care system.

“The Democratic Members of our delegation all saw the wisdom, morality and necessity of this moment and played no small part in ensuring that the reform reflects the best of Wisconsin’s values, whether it be for transparency, for thrift, for accountability or for fairness.

“As they have throughout history, the special interests fought with great fury, even spending part of their lucre right here in Wisconsin to distort, deceive, dissemble and ultimately to defend the status quo. The Republican members of the Wisconsin delegation followed the shameful lead of Paul Ryan, embracing his outrageous “plan” to dismantle Medicare and Social Security.

“But the status quo is no more, right here in Wisconsin, the bill will:

·       Improve coverage for 3,798,000 residents with health insurance.

·       Give tax credits and other assistance to up to 1,369,000 families and 123,900 small businesses to help them afford coverage.

·       Improve Medicare for 877,000 beneficiaries, including closing the “donut hole.”

·       Extend coverage to 172,000 uninsured residents.

·       Guarantee that 63,200 residents with pre-existing conditions can obtain coverage.

·       Protect 10,300 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs.

·       Allow 455,000 young adults to obtain coverage on their parents’ insurance plans, complimenting existing Wisconsin law.

·       Provide millions of dollars in new funding for 87 community health centers.

·       Reduce the cost of uncompensated care for hospitals and other health care providers by $433 million annually.

“The evidence is overwhelming and though this is a bad day for the special interests and the status quo, it is a great day for our nation and a great day for the health of Wisconsin’s working families.”

Over 46 million Americans have no medical coverage at all, millions more are under-insured or fear losing coverage. If we continue on our current path health care costs will continue to soar and within the next decade one out of every five dollars will be spent on health care.

This is unacceptable, the system is broken and we cannot postpone meaningful reform any longer.

What’s in it for you:

Your choice of doctors and plans will be protected, those that are happy with their current coverage can keep it or choose a new plan - including a public option.

Additionally, everyone will benefit from eight protections that will ensure stability and security for families across the country.

Coverage Regardless of Pre-Existing Conditions
- Insurance companies will be prohibited from refusing coverage because of medical history.

An End to Exorbitant Out-of-Pocket Expenses, Deductible and Co-Pays
- Insurance companies will have to abide by yearly caps on how much they can charge for out-of-pocket expenses.

Full Coverage for Preventive Care
- Insurance companies must fully cover - without charge - regular checkups and tests that help prevent illness, including mammograms or eye and foot exams for diabetics.

No Dropped Coverage for the Seriously Ill
- Insurance companies will be prohibited from dropping or lessening coverage for people who become seriously ill.

No Gender Discrimination
- Insurance companies will be prohibited from charging people more because of their gender.

No Annual or Lifetime Caps on Coverage
- Insurance companies will be prevented from placing annual or lifetime caps on the coverage people receive.

Extended Coverage for Young Adults
- Children will be eligible for family coverage through the age of 26.

Guaranteed Insurance Renewal
- Insurance companies will be required to renew a policy as long as the policyholder pays their premium in full.
- Insurance companies won’t be allowed to refuse renewal if someone becomes sick.

“This isn’t about politics. This is about people’s lives. This is about people’s businesses. This is about our future.” -President Barack Obama

Download a copy of these facts from Wisdems.org HERE.