On the Blog: The Republicans’ Health Care Bill

Last week, House Republicans passed a bill that signals how they would like health care to be run in the country. Summarizing: “tax cuts.”

Read about it in a post entitled: “Republicans’ Health Care Approach.”

Featured Items

Last week, the House passed H.R. 436, the Health Care Cost Reduction Act of 2012.

The bill would repeal an excise tax on medical devices slated to take effect in January 2013. It would repeal the “lose it or use it” rule for Flexible Spending Accounts. It would allow people to pay for over-the-counter medications from health savings accounts, medical savings accounts, and FSAs. And it would require collection of certain overpayments of health insurance subsidies.

Passage of H.R. 436 would save the average U.S. family about $455.

This week, the House does not meet. The Senate will debate S. 3240, the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012.

The bill would amend and extend a number of major programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, including those addressing farm income support, food and nutrition, land conservation, trade promotion, rural development, research, forestry, energy, horticulture, and crop insurance.

Passage of S. 3240 would cost the average U.S. family a little under $140.

H.R. 436
The Health Care Cost Reduction Act of 2012
Saves $455.85 per family

S. 3240
The Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012
Costs $137.94 per family

What People Think

The Health Care Cost Reduction Act of 2012 66% For, 34% Against Vote on this Bill

The Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 14% For, 86% Against Vote on this Bill

Displayed below are new, updated, and passed items with their cost or savings per family.

New Items

H.R. 3173
To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to reform the process for the enrollment, activation, issuance, and renewal of a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) to require, in total, not more than one in-person visit to a designated enrollment center

H.R. 2356
The WMD Prevention and Preparedness Act of 2011
Costs $3.04 per family

H.R. 4381
The Planning for American Energy Act of 2012
Costs $0.14 per family

H.R. 4382
The Providing Leasing Certainty for American Energy Act of 2012
Costs $0.02 per family

H.R. 4383
The Streamlining Permitting of American Energy Act of 2012
Costs $3.12 per family

H.R. 4402
The National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2012
Costs $0.05 per family

S. 1144
The Soda Ash Competition Act
Saves $0.69 per family

H.R. 2903
The FEMA Reauthorization Act of 2011
Costs $20.00 per family

H.R. 4480
The Strategic Energy Production Act of 2012
Costs $0.00 per family

H.R. 436
The Health Care Cost Reduction Act of 2012
Saves $455.85 per family

H.R. 1192
The Soda Ash Royalty Extension, Job Creation, and Export Enhancement Act of 2011
Saves $0.69 per family

H.R. 1004
The Medical FSA Improvement Act of 2011
Saves $32.94 per family

S. 2076
The Local Courthouse Safety Act of 2012
Costs $0.00 per family

H.R. 5842
The Restoring Access to Medication Act
Saves $32.25 per family

H.R. 5858
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to improve health savings accounts, and for other purposes
Saves $37.47 per family

H.R. 5882
The Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2013
Costs $36.12 per family

S. 3215
The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2013
Costs $1,456.78 per family

Updated Items

none

Passed Items

P.L. 112-124
To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 11 Dock Street in Pittston, Pennsylvania, as the “Trooper Joshua D. Miller Post Office Building”

P.L. 112-125
To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 170 Evergreen Square SW in Pine City, Minnesota, as the “Master Sergeant Daniel L. Fedder Post Office”

P.L. 112-126
To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1449 West Avenue in Bronx, New York, as the “Private Isaac T. Cortes Post Office”

P.L. 112-127
The Border Tunnel Prevention Act of 2012
Costs $0.00 per family

P.L. 112-128
The Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Backcountry Access Act