Today, House Democrats introduced a comprehensive health care reform bill.

The legislation introduced today, H.R. 3962 (the Affordable Health Care for America Act), is a revised version of H.R. 3200 (America's Affordable Health Choices Act), which was introduced earlier this year. 

The Affordable Health Care for America Act would build on our existing system of providing health insurance.  Most working-age Americans and their families would continue to receive health insurance through their employers.  Senior citizens and the poor would continue to get health insurance coverage under Medicare and Medicaid.  Veterans and military families would continue to get heath care through the VA health care system and the TRICARE program.   But a new health insurance exchange would be created – essentially a supermarket for health insurance policies – where small businesses and individuals who are uninsured could purchase health insurance policies from among a number of private health insurance plans and one public health insurance plan that will compete with them on a level playing field.  In addition, the federal government would provide assistance to individuals and families with incomes of up to 400 percent of the poverty level so that they can afford to purchase health insurance. 

The bill also contains a number of provisions to ensure that people with pre-existing conditions aren’t discriminated against, and that people who get sick aren’t dropped by their insurance company.  It would also end the insurance industry practice of charging women up to 50 percent more than men for insurance.  And it would cap annual out-of-pocket costs and prohibit annual or lifetime benefit caps.

Now it’s time for the American people to take a look at the bill.  I’ve posted links to the text of the Affordable Health Care for America Act on my website to make it easier for you, my constituents, to read it and make up your own minds about it.

Click here to read the complete text of H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act.

Click here for a summary of H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act.

Click here for a description of the major differences between H.R. 3200 and H.R. 3962.

I’d like to know what you think of this plan for ensuring that all Americans have access to affordable, comprehensive, high-quality health care.

The best ways to contact my office are through email (rep.doyle@mail.house.gov) or by telephone (202-225-2135).

I look forward to your feedback on this bill.  

Mike Doyle

Member of Congress