Today's Events!; Healthcare Reform
So you all know that I have been posting endlessly about the upcoming wedding of my youngest stepdaughter. Well, oldest sis/hubby/3 of the crazy grandkids hit town Friday! Today is play day with the cuties above, their parents, my hubby's brother/wife & my hubby's sister/hubby from back east!!!! Fun for all!!!! Will try to post pics at some point but from this point on thru week end will be craziness! Wedding is this week!!!!
Oh, for those that know I jog outside on Sundays, I did it yesterday to accommodate the play today!
I also did not want to forgo healthcare reform Sunday. As I have said, it is not the perfect bill but it is a start & we can make it better now! There are a lot of great things that will take effect very soon or within the next 6 months. From CNN - and you can read the full article at the previous link.
• Young adults will be able stay on their parents' insurance until their 27th birthday.
• Seniors will get a $250 rebate to help fill the "doughnut hole" in Medicare prescription drug coverage, which falls between the $2,700 initial limit and when catastrophic coverage kicks in at $6,154.
• Insurers will be barred from imposing exclusions on children with pre-existing conditions. Pools will cover those with pre-existing health conditions until health care coverage exchanges are operational.
• Insurers will not be able to rescind policies to avoid paying medical bills when a person becomes ill.
• Lifetime limits on benefits and restrictive annual limits will be prohibited.
• New plans must provide coverage for preventive services without co-pays. All plans must comply by 2018.
• A temporary reinsurance program will help offset costs of coverage for companies that provide early retiree health benefits for those ages 55 to 64.
• New plans will be required to implement an appeals process for coverage determinations and claims.
• Adoption tax credit and assistance exclusion will increase by $1,000. The bill makes the credit refundable and extends it through 2011.
• A 10 percent tax will be imposed on amounts paid for indoor tanning services on or after July 1.
• Businesses with fewer than 50 employees will get tax credits covering 35 percent of their health care premiums, increasing to 50 percent by 2014.
Categories: Fun Stuff, Healthcare Reform, Family
Tags: family Fun Stuff heathcare reform
thanks for posting the highlights of the bill, jody.
enjoy your family!
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THX! It is a pro/con bill BUT it does have things that we need & I hope they can make it better with all the craziness in DC these days!
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I don't know if they need 2000 pages to say what you summarize so well, Jody, but I am sure they do need more people like you in Washington to do the right thing with health care!
Have the fun you deserve!!
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Thx Dr. J... crap everything in Washington goes on forever these days. Nothing gets done most of the time & every little thing they do is thousands of pages.
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Jody, I said it before, but I REALLY REALLY appreciate your healthcare updates. I don't watch the news and only read the headlines when I can, so you help me keep me updated!
That's such good news for businesses with 50 or less employees. I work at one of those businesses, and I happen to see the invoice every month from the insurance carrier. It's frightfully high.
Enjoy your family! Look at him chillin' on the cell phone all the way in back. LOL!
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YY, I know! That pic with my grandson on the cell phone! They are getting so old! Oh, maybe that is me!
I hope the new bill helps your work place & I hope it helps us too since my hubby is his own boss.
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Kids are way too cute! Have fun in the up coming day...they are priceless! Happy to hear the US has a start with health care!
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Enjoy the wedding. I can't wait to see the pictures. And Jody - you should be in Shape magazine because you are fabulous!!
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I can't wait to see pictures!!
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Here's another excellent summary of healthcare benefits courtesy of the NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/22/your-money/health-insurance/22consumer.html
It's a step in the right direction!
@Dr. J: I wonder how many of the 2000 pages were the result of the 200+ amendments put up by the tan man(equin) (aka Boehner), et al??
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Thx for posting this info, I had no idea about some of it - including the tanning part. Not that I tan anyway, but interesting. I also agree it's a step in the right direction and that's what we need right now! Have fun with the kiddies!
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Jody - What fun! A play day with those cuties will just be the best. I hope you have a wonderful and happy week. Enjoy all the festivities and the love. And thanks for such a nice post about health care reform and its importance.
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I didn't know about this one:
"A 10 percent tax will be imposed on amounts paid for indoor tanning services on or after July 1. "
Yaaay! My old gym had tanning beds,but they "didn't have room for classes or a stretching/warm-up areas."
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