United States

Main article: Health care reform in the United States

Health care reform in the United States

Healthcare reform in the US
Debate over reform
History

Latest enacted legislation
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Senate bill - H.R. 3590)
Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (H.R. 4872)

preceding legislation
Social Security Amendments of 1965
Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (1986)
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (1996)
Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (2003)
Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act (2005)

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According to White House and Congressional Budget Office figures, the maximum share of income that enrollees would have to pay for the "silver" healthcare plan would vary depending on their income relative to the federal poverty level, as follows:[10][12] for families with income 133–150% of FPL will be 3-4% of income, for families with income of 150–200% of FPL will be 4-6.3% of income, for families with income 200–250% of FPL will be 6.3-8.05% of income, for families with income 250-300% of FPL will be 8.05-9.5% of income, for families with income from 300 to 400% of FPL will be 9.5% of income.[13][14][15]

The costs of these provisions are offset by a variety of taxes, fees, and cost-saving measures, such as new Medicare taxes for those in high-income brackets, taxes on indoor tanning, cuts to the Medicare Advantage program in favor of traditional Medicare, and fees on medical devices and pharmaceutical companies;[16] there is also a tax penalty for those who do not obtain health insurance, unless they are exempt due to