| Plan |
Coburn Patients Choice Act | |
| Date |
| |
| Overall Approach |
Competition through State Health Insurance Exchanges | |
| Universal Coverage |
Yes | |
| Guaranteed Coverage |
Yes | |
| Portability |
Yes | |
| Voluntary Employer-Based System |
Yes | |
| New Programs |
Federal government partners with states to create State Health Insurance Exchanges
Federal assistance to states to address medical liability reform
Establish Independent Health Record Bank Accounts
Creates Independent Risk-Adjustment Board to ensure insurer competition | |
| Expansion of Existing Public Programs/Federal Law |
Medicare assumes state Medicaid responsibility
Allows private facilities to provide Veterans health care
Allows American Indians to access medical care outside of the Indian Health Service
Restructures the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [AHRQ] to provide cost and quality transparency [renamed Healthcare Services Commission] | |
| Insurance Pool |
Yes - State-run/Regional Health Insurance Exchanges | |
| State Responsibility |
State Health Insurance Exchange
Medical Liability Reform
Insurance Oversight | |
| Individual Mandate |
No | |
| Employer Mandate |
Requires transparency from employers regarding the value of health benefits that could equal higher employee wages | |
| Private Insurance Mandates |
Requires all participating insurers to offer coverage to any individual -- regardless of patient age or health history | |
| Individual Subsidies |
Assistance to low-income families with dependent children to purchase higher quality private plans | |
| Individual Vouchers |
Not addressed | |
| Employer Subsidies |
Not addressed | |
| Individual Plan/Provider Choice |
Yes | |
| National Health Board |
Not addressed | |
| Tax Changes |
Creates a Medi-Choice rebate of $2,300 for individuals and $5,700 for families
Allows individuals with with a high-deductable health insurance plan to invest in an HSA any additional tax rebate not used to pay for the premium
Allow health insurance premiums to be paid tax-free from an HSA
Increase allowable tax-free investments to HSAs | |
| Premium/Co-Pay/Deductible |
Not addressed | |
| Health Quality Improvement |
Quality through competition
Creates a Healthcare Services Commission to make public and enforce quality and price information
Provides Accountable Care Organizations within Medicare with bonuses improvements in quality and patient satisfaction while lowering costs | |
| Information Technology / Electronic Medical Records |
Proposes the creation of Independent Health Record Bank Accounts | |
| Individual Responsibility for Health and Lifestyle |
Not addressed | |
| Preventive care |
Calls for the development and coordination of a national strategic prevention plan
Creates a web‐based prevention tool that would create a personalized prevention plan for individuals
Lower Medicare premiums for Seniors who adopt healthier behaviers
Provides Wellness Bonus Grants to states that show progress in reducing disease rates and risk factors and increase healthy behaviors
Awards bonus grants to states with 90 percent vaccination rates
Prohibits the purchase of junk food through the Food Stamp Program | |
| Transparency |
Creates Healthcare Services Commission to establish uniform and reliable measures by which to report quality and price information
Requires employers to share the value of health benefits that could equal higher employee wages with their employees | |
| Drug Reimportation |
Not addressed | |
| Medicare Rx Drug Price Negotiation |
Not addressed | |
| Medical Personnel Education |
Not addressed | |
| Mental Health Parity |
Not addressed | |
| Other Provisions |
N/A | |
| Cost |
No tax increases or new government spending | |
| Cost Containment |
Competition
Prevention Programs
Reduced Medicare reimbursements through competitive bidding
Medicare Means-Testing
Medical Liability Reform
Health Information Technology | |
| Financing |
Not addressed | |
| Source |
“The Patients’ Choice Act” Comprehensive Summary, Official Website of Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), May 20, 2009 | |
