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Top 5 Myths about Healthcare Reform
The fur has been flying since healthcare reform was introduced in 2010, and along with all that fuzz, a few myths about the program have been circulating as well. If you are worried that healthcare reform is putting your health insurance into the hands of the government or that this piece of legislation will bankrupt the country, you are not alone.
However, countering the myths with honest, truthful information is the best way to help everyone evaluate healthcare reform for themselves.
Myth: Healthcare Reform will Result in Massive Tax Increases
Rather than resulting in tax increases, healthcare reform actually assists in providing affordable health insurance through tax credits to small businesses and individual who cannot afford coverage on their own. In fact, small businesses can begin claiming tax credits for this tax year!
In addition, the program is expected to generate income by eliminating waste and fraud from the healthcare system to a tune of more than $1.5 trillion over the next two decades.
Myth: Death Panels
Contrary to cynical belief, there is no such thing as a death panel in healthcare reform. Sadly, politicians who have supported end-of-life counseling in the past are now showing disdain for a process that has wide support among doctors, nurses, speciality physicians and the broad medical community.
End of life counseling is a way to help families prepare for the ultimate and often untimely decisions we will all confront about our elderly loved ones.
Myth: People will be Required to Purchase Health Insurance they can't Afford
Instead of forcing individuals to shell out money they don't have for health coverage, healthcare reform makes affordable health insurance accessible to more Americans through tax credits and hardship waivers. In addition, state health insurance exchanges should help stabilize the cost of health insurance overall, so everyone will find coverage they need at a price they can afford.
Myth: Businesses will Fail under Healthcare Reform
There is a general fear that health insurance premiums will skyrocket, and many companies will be forced to drop coverage under healthcare reform. However, the independent Congressional Budget Office estimates that the legislation will lower health insurance premiums by four percent for small businesses and three percent for larger ones. The Business Roundtable predicts that healthcare reform could cut about $3,000 per person in healthcare costs. The proof is in the numbers.
Myth: Healthcare Reform Leads to Government Takeover of Health Care
This myth is a real nightmare, with visions of rationed care and long waits for services. Fortunately, healthcare reform won't bring either of those fears to fruition. Instead, healthcare reform will protect the rights of patients to see their own doctors and even get some types of specialized care without referrals.
The new insurance marketplace will use the good old-fashioned concepts of the free market to make affordable health insurance more accessible.
Those who can't afford insurance will receive financial assistance in the form of tax credits and hardship waivers, empowering more Americans to get the health care they need and want.
Healthcare reform is a reality today and it is important to get the facts about this groundbreaking legislation. When you know the ins and outs of healthcare reform, you are equipped to make better decisions about your own health care.
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