Coverage: Extended to 94 percent of eligible Americans.
Cost: Estimated at $849 billion over 10 years.
Deficit reduction: Estimated at $127 billion over 10 years.
Public option: Would allow people to buy into a new government health insurance plan, but states could opt out of it.
Medicare payroll tax: Expected to increase for high-income workers, with an expectation that the government could raise $40 billion to $50 billion over 10 years. The higher rate of 1.95 percent would apply to incomes exceeding $200,000 a year for individuals and $250,000 a year for couples.
“Cadillac” insurance plans: Would impose a new tax on high-cost health insurance plans provided by employers to their employees.
compared WITH House bill:
ŸSen. Harry Reid's bill would not go as far as the House-passed bill in limiting insurance coverage for abortions.
ŸAlthough the Senate bill would require most Americans to obtain health insurance, it would impose less stringent penalties for violations.
ŸBoth bills would create a voluntary federal program to provide long-term care insurance and cash benefits to people with severe disabilities
Sources: the New York Times, the Associated Press
