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ROB: WELL BY MOST ACCOUNTS HISTORY WAS MADE WHEN THE SUPREME COURT RULED FIVE
TO FOUR, THE PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, COMMONLY
REFERRED TO AS OBAMA CARE, IS CONSTITUTIONAL.
BUT DESPITE THE RULING, THERE IS NO INDICATION THE DEBATE IS EVEN CLOSE TO
OVER.
WITH AMERICANS EVENLY SPLIT OVER HEALTHCARE REFORM, IT'S AN ISSUE THAT
POLITICIANS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE WILL USE AS A POLITICAL CLUB TO BEAT
THEIR OPPONENT OVER THE HEAD WITH.
UNFORTUNATLEY, WHAT GET'S LOST IN THE ELECTION YEAR POSTURING IS, AS A COUNTRY
WE STILL SPEND ALMOST TWICE AS MUCH ON HEALTHCARE AS OTHER
DEVELOPED NATIONS, WHILE TOO MANY AMERICANS, ABOUT ONE IN FIVE, LACK HEALTH
INSURANCE.
TODAY, WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THOSE ISSUES AND VISIT WITH AN OKLAHOMAN
THAT HAS SOME COMMON SENSE SOLUTIONS ON HOW TO SOLVE THEM.
BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON HOW WE GOT HERE.
KELA KELLN: WITH THE SUPREME COURT RULING THAT THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT IS
CONSTITUTIONAL, STEPS ARE RAPIDLY BEING TAKEN TO TURN A CONTROVERSIAL LAW
INTO REALITY.
AND WHILE THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THIS NEW LAW IS FOR EVERYONE TO HAVE
HEATH INSURANCE, THE QUESTION THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW IS HOW DOES
THIS AFFECT ME?
PRESIDENT OBAMA: THE HIGHEST COURT IN THE LAND HAS NOW SPOKEN.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT THIS LAW.
AND WE'LL WORK TOGETHER TO IMPROVE ON IT WHERE WE CAN.
KELA: WHILE THE DEBATE OVER THE AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE ACT MAY GO ON FOR A
WHILE, MANY OF THE PROVISIONS IN THE ACT ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY, WHILE
OTHERS ARE SET TO BE ROLLED OUT IN STAGES.
ALREADY IN PLACE, INSURERS ARE REQUIRED TO COVER YOUNG ADULT CHILDREN UNDER
THEIR PARENTS' POLICIES UNTILL THE AGE OF TWENTY-SIX.
THOSE WITH PREEXISTING MEDICAL CONDITIONS ALSO HAVE A LITTLE LESS TO
WORRY ABOUT AS SOME STATES PUBLIC INSURANCE PLANS ARE GEARING UP TO GIVE PEOPLE
SEAMLESS HEALTH CARE COVERAGE.
INSURANCE COMPANIES HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD, NO MORE LIFETIME LIMITS ON
BENEFITS.
MEANING THAT PEOPLE WITH LONG TERM OR EXPENSIVE HEALTH PROBLEMS WILL NO
LONGER HAVE TO LIVE IN FEAR OF CAPS BEING PLACED ON BENEFITS OVER THEIR
LIFETIME.
REBATES ARE ALSO BEING DISTRIBUTED TO HELP SENIORS COVERED BY
MEDICARE TO HELP WITH EXTRA OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES, OFTEN REFERED TO
AS THE DONUT HOLE, WHERE MEDICARE NO LONGER COVERS SENIORS FULL MEDICINE
COSTS.
AND EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2014, INSURANCE COMPANIES WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TURN
AWAY, DROP OR INCREASE PRICES DUE TO CURRENT OR PRE-EXISTING HEALTH
CONDITIONS.
FOR THE MILLIONS WHOSE EMPLOYERS DO NOT PROVIDE INSURANCE, THERE WILL BE
FEDERAL SUBSIDIES TO HELP THEM AFFORD THEIR OWN INSURANCE.
AT THE SAME TIME, LARGE COMPANIES WILL BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE HEALTH
INSURANCE TO THEIR EMPLOYEES.
THE ACT WILL ALSO ALLOW MORE PEOPLE TO RECEIVE MEDICAID AND IF THEY DO
NOT QUALIFY FOR MEDICAID, SUBSIDIES ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP WITH COSTS.
KELA: AND WITH SUCH DRAMATIC CHANGES TAKING PLACE IN OUR HEALTH CARE
SYSTEM, THERE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE ADJUSTMENTS AS THE LAW IS PUT INTO
PLACE.
ROB: WHEN WE RETURN I SIT DOWN WITH THE FORMER CEO OF INTEGRIS HEALTH TO TALK
ABOUT WHAT HE BELIEVES IS POLITICAL MALPRACTICE, WHEN IT COMES TO
HEALTHCARE REFORM.