We believe all Americans deserve a health care system that delivers both world-class medical care and financial security. Americans deserve a system that is responsible, accessible and affordable. This system should boost the health of our people and our country's economy. Americans also deserve a system that is realistic. An American Solution--NAHU's Vision for Affordable and Responsible Health Care Reform is a comprehensive approach to meeting this challenge, and a yardstick for evaluating other proposals.
As our elected officials debate comprehensive health reform, NAHU has identified the following key issues as critical.
Value of Agents, Brokers and Consultants
As Congress considers meaningful proposals for national health reform, one key test of public approval for any sustainable and equitable plan will be ensuring continued access to the services of state-licensed agents, brokers and consultants who serve as American consumers' counselors and advocates.
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Containing Health Care Costs
By far, the greatest access barrier to health insurance coverage in America today is cost. Constraining skyrocketing medical costs is the most critical—and vexing—aspect of health care reform. The cost of health care delivery is the key driver in rising health insurance premiums and it is putting the cost of health insurance coverage beyond the reach of many Americans.
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Government-Run Public Plan Option
When crafting comprehensive health reform legislation, Congress needs to avoid creating a government-run public health plan option to be offered as an alternative to, or in competition with, private-market health plan offerings. A government-run public plan could never compete fairly with the private market, nor would it be financially feasible in the long-run. NAHU believes that a far better use of federal efforts and monies would be helping lower income Americans afford the cost of private coverage.
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National Connector or Exchange to Purchase Coverage
In 2006, Massachusetts policymakers enacted a far-reaching health reform plan, creating what is known as the Massachusetts health insurance Connector along with other reforms. Now many policymakers, both in Congress and in other states, are exploring whether the Connector concept is an effective means of reducing the number of uninsured Americans.
NAHU believes that we need to carefully consider whether or not a national connector or exchange is necessary in light of proposed market reforms. Further, given the diverse makeup of the United States, we question whether consumers wouldn't be better served with new federal market protections implemented at the state level. If Congress does decide to pursue the idea of an exchange or connector, whether at the national or state level, it is critical that such an entity be structured in such a way that it does not damage or eliminate the traditional private insurance marketplace.
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Market Reforms
Great care needs to be taken when implementing market reforms to prevent cost increases in the existing private market system. No matter how fair a market reform idea might seem on its surface, it's not at all fair if it also prices people out of the marketplace.
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Employer Mandate
As Congress considers comprehensive health reform, an employer mandate to provide health insurance coverage should be avoided. A legal mandate to force employers to provide health insurance to their employees, while well-intentioned, would actually hurt American workers and health insurance coverage by decreasing jobs and economic growth. It would also do little to reach the current uninsured population.
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Individual Mandate
An individual mandate to obtain health insurance coverage needs to be both effective and enforceable in order to reduce the number of uninsured. It also must be structured appropriately so as to not inadvertently cause costly damage to the existing private-market system.
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Preserving Private Medicare Choices
Congress needs to ensure that all Americans, including Medicare beneficiaries, have a wide range of health plan choices available to them and that they are able to pick the policies that best suits their individual needs. Congress should not limit the ability of seniors to access any private Medicare coverage option, including Medicare Advantage plans, or the services of licensed professional health insurance producers.
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Financing Health Reform
We know that an investment in change is required to see positive reform results, and that there will likely be many actions necessary to raise the revenues needed to make sure that all Americans have access to affordable and high-quality health care coverage. The membership of NAHU is committed to financing health reform in a responsible way that improves the health of American citizens and does not limit people’s options for coverage. Learn more about this issue