It is time for the House and the Senate to reconcile the healthcare bill, but finding common ground on major sticking points may prove tricky.
Among the differences is cost and how to pay for reform. The Senate’s plan is projected to cover 94 percent of Americans with an estimated cost of $871 billion over the next ten years while the House’s plan guarantees converge for 96 percent of Americans at a rate that exceeds $1 trillion over the next ten years according to the Congressional Budget Office.
To pay for these plans CNN details the House and Senate’s plans: “The House plan pays for health care reform with a 5.4 percent surtax on incomes for those making more than $500,000 a year, as well as families earning more than $1 million. It also includes a 2.5 percent tax on medical devices sold in the United States. The Senate plan increases the Medicare payroll tax on individuals earning more than $200,000 and couples earning more than $250,000 from the current 1.45 percent to 2.35 percent. The Senate bill also imposes a new tax on insurers that provide so-called Cadillac health plans valued at more than $8,500 for individuals and $23,000 for families.”
As a mini – conversation starter: check out this article about “Cadillac Care” from FORTUNE.
How would you finance healthcare reform?