New Resources Examine Key Elements of National Health Reform Proposals

The Kaiser Family Foundation today issued several new resources related to the national debate about comprehensive health reform: • How Might a Reform Plan Be Financed? examines the challenges of paying for a major reform plan, including a look at some of the options under consideration by Congressional leaders. The brief explains the various approaches being discussed to finance the likely costs of the health reform plans under consideration. It is part of the Foundation's series of Explaining Health Care Reform briefs. • Key Questions about Changes for Medicaid and Low-Income Individuals: American's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 summarizes the Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program provisions included in H.R.3200, America's Affordable Health Choices Act, otherwise known as the Tri-Committee bill. It also looks at some key questions about the legislation's provisions affecting low-income individuals. • Summary of Key Medicare Provisions in H.R. 3200, America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 provides a detailed look at the provisions in the House Tri-Committee bill that affect the Medicare program, including breakouts of the savings and new spending included in the bill. In addition, the Foundation has updated its interactive side-by-side health reform comparison tool to reflect changes to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee proposal. The online tool allows users to compare any of 11 different plans, including the House Tri-Committee legislation and the Senate Finance Committee policy options. All these resources are available through the Foundation's health reform gateway page, which provides a centralized source for key information and analysis about national health reform efforts now being considered by Congress. The gateway also includes original policy and public-opinion research, columns from Kaiser President Drew Altman, and relevant news summaries produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent health policy news service established by the Foundation.