Health Care Reform Could Boost Employment by 400,000 a Year this Decade

National health care reform now being considered in Congress will affect employer-provided health insurance premiums in several ways and will add between 250,000 and 400,000 jobs annually over the next decade. Link

So say David M. Cutler, an Economics at Harvard University; and Neeraj Sood, an Associate Professor at the Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics and School of Pharmacy at the University of Southern California. They examine two different studies, one that examines the current negative effect that rising health care costs has on employment, and another that looks at how the current health care bill slows the growth of health care costs and health insurance premiums.

Leading GOP Strategist Can't Name One Republican Accomplishment in Last 20 Years

A rare moment of honesty from a Republican on television.

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Michelle Bachmann Suddenly Quiet on Census

It's ironic that a Minnesota member of Congress, Republican Michele Bachmann, went so far last summer to declare her intention to only partially complete her census forms, and to suggest reasons for others not to comply with the census law. If Minnesota loses a congressional seat, Bachmann's populous Sixth District could be carved into pieces. She likely would have to battle another incumbent to hang on to her seat. We've noticed that her anticensus rhetoric has lately ceased. We hope she got wise: Census compliance is not only in Minnesota's best interest, but also her own. Link

Benefits of the Affordable Health Care for America Act In the 16th Congressional District of Ohio

The Committee on Energy and Commerce in the U.S. House has put together a fact sheet on the specific benefits Ohio District 16 will see from the Affordable Health Care for America Act passed on November 7.

In Congressman Boccieri’s district, the Affordable Health Care for America Act will:

• Improve employer-based coverage for 414,000 residents.


• Provide credits to help pay for coverage for up to 167,000 households.


• Improve Medicare for 111,000 beneficiaries, including closing the prescription drug donut hole for 10,200 seniors.


• Allow 15,100 small businesses to obtain affordable health care coverage and provide tax credits to help reduce health insurance costs for up to 13,200 small businesses.


• Provide coverage for 44,000 uninsured residents.


• Protect up to 1,700 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs.


• Reduce the cost of uncompensated care for hospitals and health care providers by $102 million.

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What Health Insurance Reform Would Mean For Ohio

As the reforms bills in Congress stand now, Ohio would see substantial improvements in their health insurance options. For example:

• 1.4 million residents who do not currently have insurance and 533,000 residents who have nongroup insurance could get affordable coverage through the health insurance exchange.


• 942,000 residents could qualify for premium tax credits to help them purchase health coverage.


• 1.8 million seniors would receive free preventive services.


• 325,000 seniors would have their brand-name drug costs in the Medicare Part D “doughnut hole” halved.


• 118,000 small businesses could be helped by a small business tax credit to make premiums more affordable.

› Learn more about what health insurance reform would mean for Ohio