--All individuals will be required to get coverage through their employer or the exchange, or pay a penalty of 2.5 percent of income, subject to a hardship exemption;
--The federal government will provide affordability credits, available on a sliding scale for low- and middle-income individuals and families.

Imaging Impact


Of note to the imaging industry, this bill has changes beginning in 2011, allowing for the Utilization Rate assumption for advanced diagnostic imaging services to be increased from 50 percent to 75 percent. The technical component payment reduction for sequential imaging services on consecutive body parts during the same visit would increase from 25 percent to 50 percent.

Dingell says that the bill will not add to the deficit, and estimates show the bill will slow the rate of growth of the Medicare program from 6.6 percent annually to 5.3 percent annually. The legislation will be financed though the savings achieved by making Medicare and Medicaid more efficient and revenue generated from placing a surcharge on the top 0.3 percent of all households in the U.S.(married couples with adjusted gross income of over $1,000,000) and other tax measures. Dingell adds that the Congressional Budget estimates the bill will reduce the deficit by at least $100 billion over ten years.

Speaker Pelosi's remarks can be accessed at:
http://speaker.house.gov/newsroom/pressreleases?id=1424

Rep. Dingell's release can be accessed at:
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/mi15_dingell/091029healthcare.shtml

The bill can be accessed at:
http://docs.house.gov/rules/health/111_ahcaa.pdf

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