FACT SHEET: The Affordable Care Act: Supporting Innovation, Empowering States

[ProSense]

FACT SHEET: The Affordable Care Act: Supporting Innovation, Empowering States

On February 28, President Obama reiterated his belief that States should have the power and flexibility to innovate and find the health care solutions that work best for them and announced his support for accelerating State Innovation Waivers and allowing states to apply for them starting in 2014.

Beginning in 2017, the law allows States the flexibility to receive a State Innovation Waiver so they may pursue their own innovative strategies to ensure their residents have access to high quality, affordable health insurance. These strategies – which must provide affordable insurance coverage to at least as many residents as the Affordable Care Act and must not increase the federal deficit – could include allowing large employers to purchase coverage through State Exchanges or increasing the number of benefit levels to provide more choices for individuals and small businesses.

Under the bipartisan “Empowering States to Innovate Act” introduced by Senators Ron Wyden, Scott Brown, and Mary Landrieu, State Innovation Waivers would be available three years earlier than under current law, so long as States meet certain criteria, including certifying that their proposals would cover at least as many of their residents as the policies in the Affordable Care Act would have covered.

The proposal offers States more flexibility while ensuring that all Americans, no matter where they live have access to affordable, accessible health insurance. Additionally, the proposal includes built-in protections to ensure that these waivers do not increase the Federal budget deficit.

The Affordable Care Act already creates a critical role for States. It provides them with the flexibility and resources necessary to innovate and implement reform in the manner that works best for them. The law has already made nearly $2.8 billion available to states and every State has taken steps – and, in some cases, bold actions – to implement the law and improve health insurance accountability and affordability for their citizens. States can design their own Exchanges, shape their Medicaid programs, and take the lead in enforcing patient protections and reviewing rates increases of private insurers.

more

This is what Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin has been pushing for.

[jaxx]

1. Keep the facts coming.

It's being said the President 'caved'. Cave he didn't.

[Jackpine Radical]

2. Yes, I think we need to know a lot more before going off half-cocked

on this one.

I can well imagine scenarios in which local control in more enlightened states could result in significant improvements in coverage--at least in states with enlightened governments, which sadly doesn't include WI at the moment.

[ProSense]

3. The waivers have to be approved

This is currently in the law. A plan has to be presented and approved. It has to be equal or better than the existing law.

[ProSense]

4. Why on earth

would anyone object to this?

[jaxx]

5. Because President Obama said it.

Hair on fire immediately when he opens his mouth.

[Badfish]

8. haters.

It's what they do.

[Clio the Leo]

6. And just wait until we have a transcript of what Obama told the Govs today...

... powerful stuff.

[rhombus]

7. California and Vermont most likely will push for single payer

This is a great idea. Bernie Sanders supports it. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/11/sen_bernie_sanders_vermont_sta.html

Let the states experiment with a minimum floor from the Affordable Care Act.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

9. I just simply do not understand why Obama/the Dems didn't sell the good stuff in this bill.

I just don't get it. The more I read about it, the better it sounds. Why didn't they sell it to the American people who are turning against the Republicans/Teabaggers on this issue?

The more we learn, the more we like.

[karynnj]

10. It is hard to communicate when the mic is turned off - or is repeating the Republican side only

I had thought with the Presidency that we could get our message out, but the fact is that we do not have a fair share of the mass media. So, instead of "all this good stuff" people heard the Republican characterizations - long after they were debunked.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

11. God you are so right on that. Every time I see your avatar I think about how

the M$M stood by and allowed the Republicans/Right Wing to smear John Kerry. It is SICK!!

[Whisp]

12. they did sell it

but the CNNs and the other rotters didn't transfer that information to the public. They focused on the lying bastard Repugs and Death Panels and crap.

sold that crap to a lot of people here too

[ClarkUSA]

13. So Obama supporters were right again. HCR opened the barn door & Pres. Obama just OK'd...

... the states choosing the public option and single-payer, if they so want.

Facts are a good thing, contrary to the Obama bashing drivel I see so often.

:kick: