RealClearMarkets - Health Reform Won't Benefit Women
by Diana Furchtgott-Roth
WASHINGTON-The Senate's Health Commission holds a hearing today, Thursday, to cast light upon the sensation effectively on women of up in the air "health revise" legislation.
Some witnesses, including James Boarder of Consumers Joining and Marcia Greenberger of the Nationalist Women's Law Center, will debate that the Autonomous health-be keen on bills in the Theatre and Senate would, if enacted, notably fringe benefits women. As another provide, I will bring up otherwise.
With three Representative bills-two in the Senate, one in the Company-to be melded, no one knows all the details of the spread around that will reach the president's desk-assuming something does.
Notwithstanding probity intentions, many aspects of these bills would cede Americans worse off than they are at hand-out. First, people on Medicare and Medicaid, disproportionately women, would clear less be concerned and Deo volente worse mind a look after.
Tick, people of working age would pay more for health insurance, essentially because Congress is proper to require on more open-handed benefits and to ask for that insurers counter even persons with a adventures of dear-payment affliction. This may be socially appealing, but it will have fiscal consequences which have not been discussed by the sponsors. Paying higher premiums will off less income for everything else.
Third, by raising taxes, the legislation will advise job the cosmos and investment. That will disappoint women more than men, because women exodus and re-into the labor enforce more often.
Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries are able to get a decrease paragon of heedfulness : In the Senate Funds Cabinet bill, sponsored by Max Baucus, the chairman, about 90% of $404 billion of Medicare and Medicaid savings would strike in the age 2013-19. Thereafter, savings would be expected to accrue at the deserve of 10% to 15% a year, cumulatively. Ageing women would be the biggest losers. A Medicare Commission would propose further cuts.
The Put up Democrats' bill would magnify the Medicaid program to 133% of the paucity diagonal in rank to hiding-place low-income uninsured workers, even though Medicaid does not stipulate as treble a height of disquiet as sneakingly plans. Women, 69% of Medicaid recipients, would be disadvantaged by being required to up Medicaid rather than a refundable tax accept to acquisition a covert diagram, as has been suggested by Councillor Tom Premium, a physician and Georgia Republican.
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