What are the pros and cons of the new health-care reform bill that House Democrats approved yesterday?
The bill is 2,000 pages long, and full of lawyer-speak. Most pros and cons are based on partisan opinion. Still, there are some changes in the bill with more objective elements. Here are nine aspects that will help and hurt consumers and the economy. Pros More coverage. Coverage will expand to cover nearly 95 percent of legal U.S. residents. With a recent study showing that patients without health insurance have a shorter life span, coupled with the number of uninsured approaching 50 million in 2010, that is perhaps the biggest reason to cheer. (Kevin Pho, MD via CNN). Plus, preventative care will be free. A more competitive insurance industry. Increased regulation will stop insurance companies from rigging prices–that recent 40% insurance premium increase in California comes to mind. Competition with newly formed public entities will ideally make the entire industry more competitive. Also, insurance companies are now required to post their balance sheets, executive compensation, and a
