The Yellow Jacket (Brownwood, Tex.), Vol. 100, No. 6, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 19, 2009 Page: 3 of 12
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3November 19 2009
NJw IFX4
Health-care bill will have impact on college students
by EMILY HILL
YJ STAFF WRITERThe new health-care bill
(H.R. 3962) that recent-
ly passed in the House of
Representatives has sparked
controversy and debate
among Americans. Several
reforms are directed toward
the older generation, but
other mandates within the
bill can affect college stu-
dents, especially after gradu-
ation.
Just short of 2,000 pages,
the bill makes many prom-
ises, as outlined by President
Barack Obama at the Web
site www.healthreform.gov
in a four-minute video. If
passed by the Senate, the
plan will be fully implement-
ed in 2013.
The bill promises that if
someone has insurance, he
or she can keep it. It will be
against the law for health
insurance companies to drop
coverage due to sudden ill-
nesses. They will no longer
be able to deny those with
pre-existing conditions.
The bill also eliminates
yearly and lifetime caps on
coverage, and it will limit
out-of-pocket expenses.
Insurance companies must
provide coverage for preven-
tive care such as check-ups
and screenings at no extra
charge.
For those who lose a job,
change jobs, or try to start a
small business, they will be
able to still get health care
coverage under the new plan.
A new insurance market-
place called "The Exchange"
is outlined within the bill
where Americans with no
insurance can shop for health
insurance at competitive
prices. Tax credits for indi-viduals and small businesses
that still cannot afford health
coverage will be given out
based on size and need.
For those with pre-exist-
ing conditions, the bill offers
a low-cost coverage if the
person becomes seriously
ill, which Sen. John McCain
(R-Arizona) proposed in his
2008 presidential campaign.
A not-for-profit public
option will be made avail-
able in The Exchange only
for those who do not have
insurance. President Obama
said that Americans are not
pressured to use this plan
and that it will keep private
insurance companies afford-
able. The public option, just
like the bill, is not entirely
set in stone yet. The pub-
lic option could be stopped
in the Senate, allowing the
states to "opt-out" from it.
Money used for the bill
will be paid for up-front. If
savings are not enough, addi-
tional cuts will be made by
President Obama to ensure
nothing will be added to the
deficit.
"I will not sign a plan that
adds one dime to our deficit
- either now or in the future,"
said President Obama during
a speech about the health-
care plan.
One concern is that the
younger generation will have
to pay more for premiums, or
insurance coverage, in order
to keep the premiums for
the older generation lower.
While this is helpful to the
older generation who are
not able to work anymore,
younger Americans may
decide to opt out and pay
the fine for being uninsured.
Entry-level employees may
not have the funds to pay for
high premiums.
As many may know, healthcare costs can be very high.
Government regulations and
interference, however, have
caused the cost of insurance
to be so high. Designed to
cover risks, insurance com-
panies must cover care that
is not part of risks such as
fertility treatments, which
some people do not want to
be covered in their policies
but are forced to.
The bill will also appoint
independent commission of
According to HPU
Nurse Jamie Skaggs,
around 70 to 75 per-
cent of students at
HPU have health
insurance... Students
are eventually forced
out of their parents'
policies due to age
or graduation.
doctors and medical experts
to identify waste, fraud, and
abuse. Some worry that this
could mean a "death panel,"
but the bill offers coverage
for end-of-life counseling for
seniors who can't afford it.
The commission will not be
allowed to make changes to
Medicare policies.
"It will provide more
security and stability to
those who have health insur-
ance," President Obama saidat "It will provide insurance
to those who don't have it.
And it will lower the cost of
health care for our families,
our businesses, and our gov-
ernment."
In Section 59b on pages
297-299 of the bill, when
Americans file taxes, they
will be required to provide
proof of a qualified health
care plan. Americans will
be required to switch to a
qualified plan outlined by
the Secretary of Health and
Human Services, which can
be found in Section 202
(pages 91-92). If a plan is
not filed, the individual will
be fined with a tax of about
$1,000.
Howard Payne senior
Jessica Zaldivar, presiding
senior senator of Student
Government Association,
said, "[The fine] just guar-
antees that people don't take
advantage of the system if
they haven't pitched in."
According to HPU Nurse
Jamie Skaggs, around 70
to 75 percent of students at
HPU have health insurance.
Most students are on their
parents' plans, but some do
not have any insurance at
all. Students are eventually
forced out of their parents'
policies due to age or gradu-
ation.
"I lost my insurance whenI turned 23," said senior Sara
Dean. "My dad's insurance
policy doesn't cover beyond
that age."
Under the new bill, stu-
dents will be required to
have insurance. While this
may be a problem for some,
students will see more cover-
age than before.
"[Students] will be able
to afford healthcare," said
Zaldivar. "I am about to get
married and lose my depen-
dent status. I have stood in
line at One Source medi-
cal clinic and overheard a
patient without insurance
being asked to fork out $70
to pay for a doctor visit.
That's ridiculous."
Some students will be
able to get medical coverage
with their first job after grad-
uation. One concern, how-
ever, is that businesses may
be less inclined to hire new
people, particularly students
who recently graduated from
college and are looking for
health coverage. Businesses
will try to save money by
hiring less in order to stay in
business.
"In my general thought,
there does need to be chang-
es in the health-care indus-
try," Skaggs said. "But there
shouldn't be forced health
care provided for everyone.
Just like the General Motors
industry, the government
does not need to be involved
in the health care industry."
The bill will also pro-
vide more money for stu-
dents pursuing degrees in
the health industry, par-
ticularly minority students.
Today's junior high students
will be tomorrow's benefi-
ciaries, however: Students
will not see the results
of the bill until 2013 if it
passes.For more information, visit:
www.healthcarereform.gov
www.whitehouse.gov/issues/health-care
www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck
www.aarp.org/getthefactsI
Page 3
November 19 2009
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Howard Payne University. The Yellow Jacket (Brownwood, Tex.), Vol. 100, No. 6, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 19, 2009, newspaper, November 19, 2009; Brownwood, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth744512/m1/3/?q=Lamar+University: accessed June 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Howard Payne University Library.