Health Reform Costs, Benefits Explained In NCPA Consumer's Guide

Health Reform Costs, Benefits Explained In NCPA Consumer's Guide: "The first detailed and objective consumer's guide on the impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has just been released by the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA), titled, 'What Does Health Care Reform Mean To You? A Detailed Analysis.'

'The guide does not ignore the benefits of the Affordable Care Act, but it also does not deny the costs,' says John C. Goodman, President, CEO and Kellye Wright Fellow of the NCPA. 'This is the first unbiased summary of health care reform costs and benefits, and it's a unique resource.'

'The consumer's guide answers questions about the coming changes and costs in Medicare, Medicaid, health insurance, employer coverage and income tax returns,' says Goodman.

The research analyzes the costs, benefits and drawbacks of health reform changes, including:

* Health insurance requirements and fines for individuals and employers.
* Expanded health coverage for up to 34 million people.
* Projected shortages of doctors, nurses and hospitals.
* Free health plan preventative services.
* New coverage protections for patients with pre-existing conditions.

Also:

* Reporting family income totals to your employer.
* Benefit and spending cuts for the elderly and disabled on Medicare.
* New taxes on private health insurance, drugs, medical devices.
* Insurance subsidies and changes in coverage options.

To educate patients, doctors and all those affected by the new health care law, the NCPA has also produced a shorter version of the guide in a summary pamphlet, also titled, 'What Does Health Care Reform Mean To You?' The pamphlet is a succinct and unbiased overview of the Affordable Care Act changes, in layman's terms, to help consumers understand what to expect from health care reform.

Source: Press Release, 'Health Reform Costs, Benefits Explained in NCPA Consumer's Guide,' PRNewswire, August 25, 2010.