National Health Reform:
What it means for NH Consumers
& Small Businesses
Lisa Kaplan Howe
North Country Health Consortium Rural Health Reform Conference
June 11, 2010
About NH Voices for Health
• A network of advocacy organizations,
consumers & small businesses committed to
expanding access to quality, affordable health
care
• Representing 200,000 consumers statewide
• Our activities:
• Convening stakeholders
• Sharing information and promoting a public dialog
• Expanding the state’s advocacy capacity
• Advancing savvy and meaningful policy changes on
the state and federal level
Patient Protection &
Affordable Care Act:
A Historic Milestone
• A century in the making
• Builds on & strengthens our current health care
system
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Strengthens and expands coverage options
Makes coverage more affordable
Makes coverage more stable & higher quality
Invests in health care cost control, quality, workforce,
public health & equity
Strengthening and Expanding
Coverage Options
• Strengthens public programs
• Medicaid – Federal funding for expanded eligibility and
improved reimbursement
• Medicare – Improved preventive care, closing the donut
hole and extending the solvency of the trust fund
• CHIP / Healthy Kids Silver – Extended & increased federal
funding
• Streamlined enrollment
• Expands access to private coverage
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Can keep the coverage you have
Access regardless of health status / history
Extended family coverage for young adults
Improved access / choice through the Exchange
Making Coverage More Affordable
• Reigns in excessive and wasteful costs
– Promotes preventive care & efficiency
– Strengths premium rate review
– Limits administrative spending
• Makes premium charges more equitable
• Provides assistance for working families and small
businesses
– Individual premium subsidies & cost-sharing
assistance
– Small business tax credits & grants
Making Coverage More Stable &
Higher Quality
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No benefit limits
No rescissions
Waiting periods limited
“Essential health benefits” package
Cost-sharing limited & no cost-sharing for
preventive services
• Transparency of information
Shared Responsibility
• Based on the notions that:
– The system works best when everyone is in it
– We have an employer-based coverage system
• Must purchase coverage if it’s affordable to
you
– Various exemptions and waivers
• Expectation that employers provide coverage
– Does not apply to small employers
Other Investments
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Health care cost control
Health care quality
Health care equity
Public health
Health care workforce
Next Steps: Staying Involved as the
Work Continues
• Protecting against repeal
• Implementation
–Federal
–State
• Educating the public
For More Information…
• NH Voices for Health:
www.nhvoicesforhealth.org join our
mailing lists for updates and information
about our public meetings
• HealthReform.gov
• Kaiser Health Reform Gateway:
www.healthreform.kff.org