Legislation Comparison Grid and Testimony/Advocacy Statement
| Health-related Bill Name | The Health Care Improvement Act of 2021
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| Bill Number | S.352 — 117th Congress |
| Description | The bill was introduced by Senator Warner on 02/22/2021. The legislation will help in expanding premium assistance, the expansion of Medicaid, and the establishing the option of public health insurance. The legislation is aimed at helping a lot of American citizens to get better healthcare services.
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| Federal or State? | Federal |
| Legislative Intent | The bill will help in the expansion of the premium tax credit that will assist patients on the bases of their household income, for the purchased insurance plan. The bill will also reduce out-of-pocket costs of healthcare by beneficiaries.
The bill will help fund the health insurer of the state through the reinsurance payment plan. The funding for insurance-related costs for individuals that are enrolled in the plan of the individual marketplace (Congress.gov, 2021). The bill further helps in rescinding some of the rules and policies that are in line with short-term, limited-duration plans as well as the innovation of the waiver of the state.
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| Proponents/ Opponents | Proponents: Senator Mark R.
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| Opponents: National Physicians Alliance, American Public Health Association, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and HIV Medicine Association, among others.
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| Target Population | Working families
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| Status of the bill (Is it in hearings or committees?) | The bill was introduced to the Senate on 02/22/2021.
After two readings the bill was referred to the committee on finance. |
| General Notes/Comments
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The adoption of the S.352 – Health Care Improvement Act of 2021 would positively help the targeted population. Patients will be in a position to access low-cost healthcare options as well as insurers to offer health care coverage across the state boundaries.
The number of patients that suffers due to lack of health insurance will be reduced at a high rate by the proposed bill. The negotiation of prescription drug prices will help many families to afford medication and most illness that has high-cost drugs that were spreading at a high rate will relatively go down. |
Conclusion
The adoption of the S.352 – Health Care Improvement Act of 2021 would positively help the targeted population. Most American working families will help the patients to get affordable healthcare which is essential to most of them. Patients will be in a position to access low-cost healthcare options as well as insurers to offer health care coverage across the state boundaries. Any bill that helps in the improvement of healthcare should be enacted. The S.352 – Health Care Improvement Act of 2021 is a bill that will help to improve healthcare for patients.
References
Congress.gov. (2021). Text – S.352 – 117th Congress (2021-2022): Health Care Improvement Act of 2021. Congress.gov. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/352/text
Cooper, J. (2022, March 8). Groups opposing the American Health Care Act. Congressman Jim Cooper. https://cooper.house.gov/groups-opposing-republican-health-plan
Govinfo. (2022). Congressional Bills. Govinfo.gov. https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/bills
Kearney, A., Harmel, L., Stokes, M., & Brodie, M. (2021, December 14). Americans’ Challenges with Order this paper