Given the increased attention on health care issues, below are several resources from AHIP that may be useful when considering health plan community’s perspective during this debate. To learn more about AHIP’s proposals to improve the accessibility, quality, and affordability of health care, visit www.AmericanHealthSolution.org.
AHIP’s Health Care Reform Proposals
Comprehensive Health Care Reform Proposal
The new reform proposal would: Ensure universal coverage by guaranteeing coverage for pre-existing conditions, fixing the health care safety net, giving tax credits to working families and enacting an individual coverage requirement; Call on the nation to set a goal of reducing the growth in health care costs by 30 percent; Enhance portability for people changing or in between jobs; Provide more affordable health care options for small businesses; and Increase value and improve quality.Affordability Proposal
The U.S. could reduce total health care spending and improve the quality of patient care if the plan proposed today by America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) was implemented. PricewaterhouseCoopers reviewed AHIP’s proposals and estimates and concluded that if these proposals are fully implemented, the nation’s total health care expenditures could be $145 billion lower than currently projected by the year 2015.Proposal to Cover All Americans
More than 40 million uninsured Americans will have access to affordable health insurance coverage under a new comprehensive set of targeted policy proposals released by AHIP. The plan would expand eligibility for public programs, enable all consumers to purchase health insurance with pre-tax dollars, provide financial assistance to help working families afford coverage, and encourage states to develop and implement access proposals.Individual Market Guarantee Access Proposal
AHIP’s Board of Directors released a three-part proposal on the individual health insurance market that includes a plan to guarantee access to health care coverage to all Americans, new initiatives to give consumers peace of mind about individual health care coverage, and steps states need to take if they are considering a requirement for universal participation.
Proposal to Improve the Quality and Safety of Health Care
Patients and physicians will have more information to make value-based health care decisions under a comprehensive new strategy to improve the safety and quality of medical care released by the AHIP Board of Directors. The plan calls for the development of a new entity to compare the safety and efficacy of medical procedures and technologies, advocates steps to promote transparency of health care information and speed the adoption of best practices, and calls for the creation of a new patient-centered dispute resolution mechanism.
AHIP Press Releases
AHIP Praises Enactment of SCHIP Reauthorization (Feb. 4, 2009)
AHIP Congratulates House on Passage of SCHIP (Jan. 14, 2009)
AHIP Statement on Daschle Nomination (Dec. 11, 2008)
Health Plans Offer Comprehensive Reform Proposal (Dec. 3, 2008)
Health Plans Propose Guaranteed Coverage for Pre-Existing Conditions and Individual Coverage Mandate (Nov. 19, 2008)
AHIP Statement on Senator Baucus’ Health Care Reform Proposal (Nov. 12, 2008)
AHIP Congratulates President-Elect Barack Obama (Nov. 5, 2008)
