As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over a large part of the health care reform initiative, Senator Stabenow is working hard every day to make sure every American has access to high-quality, affordable health care.
This page contains information and resources, much of it released by the Finance Committee, about the debate so far.
| How You Can Get Involved |
|
Join the Health Care People's Lobby!
Senator Stabenow wants to make sure that people in Michigan who need health care coverage are heard! Join us and share your story with Senator Stabenow. She's fighting for affordable, quality healthcare for you and your family. It's time to get it done! Sign up now! |
| |
|
|
Making Health Care Affordable
“This morning, 14,000 Americans woke up with health insurance, but will go to bed without it. Now is the time to get this bill done, and get it done right.” Read Senator Stabenow's full statement... |
| |
|
| Draft Bills |
|
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The merged Senate health care bill, called The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, will ensure that all Americans have access to quality, affordable health care and will create the transformation within the health care system necessary to contain costs.
|
| |
|
|
The Congressional Budget Office report on The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the merged Senate bill will reduce the deficit by $130 billion between 2010 and 2019.
|
| |
|
|
A section by section analysis of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
|
| |
|
|
Immediate Benefits for Americans in The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
|
| |
|
|
Timeline of the Benefits for Americans in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
|
| |
|
|
Long Summary of the benefits in The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
|
| |
|
|
Short Summary of the benefits in The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
|
| |
|
|
House of Representatives Version of Health Care Bill
Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Congressman Dingell introduced the House version of a health care bill, called the Affordable Health Care for America Act.
|
| |
|
|
House of Representatives Detailed Summary of Affordable Health Care for America Act
|
| |
|
|
Final Legislative Language of the Finance Committee Bill
Final legislative language of the America’s Healthy Future Act, as passed by the Finance Committee on 10/14/09 by a vote of 14-9.
|
| |
|
|
Updated - America’s Healthy Future Act of 2009
(Released 10/05/09): This contains a revised version of the America's Healthy Future Act. These changes reflect the work of the Finance Committee and are noted in blue and red. |
| |
|
|
Finance Committee Report on the America’s Healthy Future Act
This official report of the Finance Committee contains the “plain English” version of the bill.
|
| |
|
|
Additional Views of Senator Stabenow, Kerry, Rockefeller, Schumer, and Menedez on the High Cost Insurance Excise Tax
|
| |
|
|
Final Legislative Language of the HELP Committee Bill
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee passed their version of health insurance reform, S.1679, called the “Affordable Health Choices Act.” This bill will be combined with the final Finance Committee bill to create a merged bill.
|
| |
|
|
Preliminary Analysis of the Chairman's Mark for the America's Healthy Future Act, as Amended
(Released 10/07/09): The Congressional Budget Office report on the health care bill in the Finance Committee. |
| |
|
|
Updated - Chairman's Technical Corrections
This was the working copy of the bill used by the Finance Committee during the process known as the “markup.” The final version of this document can be found in the Finance Committee Report (posted above). |
| |
|
|
HELP Committee Legislative Mark
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee has released their “mark” of the health care bill. This is the starting copy of the bill that will be used during the markup, a process by which congressional committees and subcommittees debate, amend, and rewrite proposed legislation. |
| |
|
|
House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor report on America's Affordable Health Choices Act
|
| |
|
|
House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce Bill on America's Affordable Health Choices Act
|
| |
|
|
House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means report on America's Affordable Health Choices Act
|
| |
|
| Finance Committee Roundtables |
|
Reforming America’s Health Care Delivery System
This roundtable discussion focused on general goals of reforming our health care system. The discussion featured leaders from the non-profit sector, the federal government, insurance companies, and academics. |
|
Expanding Health Care Coverage
This roundtable looked at ways to extend coverage for the uninsured and underinsured. Leaders from labor unions, think tanks, insurance, and business groups gave their input to the Committee. |
|
Financing Comprehensive Health Care Reform
The third roundtable considered several options for how to pay for health care reform. Economists and budget analysts gave statements on how to fund heath care reform. |
| |
|
| Baucus/Grassley Options Papers |
 |
Proposals to Improve Patient Care and Reduce Health Care Costs
This document describes a wide array of options for payment reform, infrastructure investments, Medicare improvements, and integrity in public programs. |
|
|
Proposals to Provide Affordable Coverage to All Americans
This document presents many potential insurance market reforms, ways to make coverage affordable, a public health insurance option, the role of public programs, responsibility sharing, prevention and wellness, long term care services and options to address health disparities |
|
|
Proposed Health System Savings and Revenue Options
This document explains a wide array of options to create savings in the health system, options to modify the exclusion for employer-provided health cover, other health care related revenue raisers, lifestyle-related revenue raisers and the Administration's revenue raising options. |
| |
|
| White House Resources |
|
Health Insurance Reform Reality Check
Get the facts about the stability and security you get from health insurance reform. |
|
Healthreform.gov
Managed by the Department of Health & Human Services, this web site is a clearinghouse for information about the Administration's goals for achieving health care reform. |
|
The Hidden Costs of Healthcare
With each passing year, Americans are paying more for health care coverage. Employer-sponsored health insurance premiums have nearly doubled since 2000, a rate three times faster than wages.1 In 2008, the average premium for a family plan purchased through an employer was $12,680, nearly the annual earnings of a full-time minimum wage job.2 Americans pay more than ever for health insurance, but get less coverage. |
|
The Economic Case for Health Care Reform
The White House Council of Economic Advisors released this report detailing why health care reform is so important for the long-term strength of the American economy. Reforming health care will increase the GDP and put more money in the pockets of American families. |
|
White House Forum on Health Care Reform
President Obama brought together leaders with diverse views at the White House Forum on Health Reform. The White House issued a report highlighting the productive discussions from the event. |
|
Report on Health Care Community Discussions
The recommendations from more than 3,200 Health Care Community Discussions were systematically analyzed to compile the report, Americans Speak on Health Reform. |
|
The Economic Effects Of Health Care Reform On Small Businesses And Their Employees
A new report by the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) examines the challenges faced by smaller firms under the current health care system, and the likely impacts of health care reform on small businesses and the workers they employ. |
| |
|
|
The Burden of Health Insurance Premium Increases on
American Families
Health insurance premiums for American families continue to skyrocket. A report released by
the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) on September 15th, reported that the average annual family
premium for employer-sponsored health insurance rose to $13,375 in 2009.1 This represents an
increase of 5.5 percent increase in premiums for families in the past year when inflation actually
fell by 0.7 percent. |
| |
|
| Hearings and Debates |
|
HELP Committee Hearings
The other committee with jurisdiction over health care is the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. This link takes you to a list of their recent hearings, including those on health care reform. |
| |
|
|
Draft: Affordable Choices Act
This is a working draft of the HELP Committee version of the health reform bill. This is not the final proposal, but lays out some of the major issues Congress will focus on in the coming months. |
| |
| Other Resources |
 |
CBO Report: The Budgetary Treatment of Proposals to Change our Nation's Health Care System
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issued a report detailing the economic and budget issues surrounding the health care debate, as well as a summary of the items under discussion. |
| |
|
 |
Resources for Health Care Coverage
Many families qualify for assistance with health care coverage, but don't know about it. This web site will let you check whether you or your children are qualified for assistance under Medicaid or the MIChild Program. |
| |
|
