Senator's Landmark Plan for Health Reform Advances

    (WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Montana's senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus' landmark plan for health
    reform passed out of the Senate Finance Committee.

    Baucus called the bipartisan vote an "opportunity to make history" as the legislation will
    improve the lives of all Montanans and Americans and help get the economy back on track.

    After more than a year of preparation, and holding more than 40 health care events in the state,
    Baucus' bipartisan bill to lower costs and provide quality, affordable health care coverage to all
    Montanans will advance to conference where it will be merged with other Senate health care
    reform bills.

    "I am very pleased that our common-sense, balanced bill to improve and expand health
    coverage for tens of millions of American families passed the Committee vote today," said
    Baucus. "There is more work ahead but I am confident that our plan will withstand upcoming
    tests because this is a fiscally responsible solution that will reform our broken health care
    system."

Key Points About the Baucus Health Reform Plan

• Individuals and employers who are satisfied with their current health insurance coverage can keep it and would not be required to
change health plans.

• Members of Congress will be required to buy their health insurance through the same exchanges that people in their own states
will use, instead of having a separate Congressional health plan.

• No Montanan can be denied health insurance or charged more because of a pre-existing health condition.

• Health insurance companies will not be able to discriminate on the basis of gender or health status -- so insurance companies
can't charge more for women or Montanans who are sick.

• The plan is fully paid for and begins to reduce the federal deficit within ten years.

• Health insurance companies will no longer receive tax deductions if they give their executives excessive salaries and
compensation.

• Health insurance companies will no longer be able to limit how much coverage you can use over your lifetime or how many
benefits you can use each year.

• The bill specifically says there will be no Medicare benefit cuts for individuals. In fact, it strengthens Medicare's finances so the
program can continue to provide benefits for years to come.

• Low-and middle-income seniors will get 50 percent of their drug costs paid for when they reach the so-called doughnut hole in the
Medicare Part D prescription drug program, where no coverage is provided today.


Billings Gazette:
Senate Committee Approves Health Overhaul Bill

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

WASHINGTON - Historic legislation to expand U.S. health care and control costs won its first Republican supporter Tuesday and
cleared a key Senate hurdle, a double-barreled triumph that propelled President Barack Obama's signature issue toward votes this
fall in both houses of Congress.

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