McClatchy/Kaiser Health News have a summary. Here's are a couple of excerpts:
What self-insurers get
Q: I buy my own insurance. How would the legislation affect how much I pay?
A: Because insurers wouldn't be permitted to charge sick people more, their premiums might initially cost less compared with what they'd pay under current law. Younger, healthier people might pay more. Also, under the House bill, older people could be charged only two times more than younger people; in the Senate, older people could be charged up to three times more.
Prospects for a public option
Q: I understand that the public option isn't in the Senate bill. Is Congress still likely to approve it? If not, what's the alternative?
A: The Senate is unlikely to accept the government-run "public option" health insurance measure in the House bill. Instead, Senate Democrats would create large, privately run, multi-state insurance plans and have the federal Office of Personnel Management administer them. Every exchange would offer at least two such plans, one of which must be nonprofit. The final deal is expected to include this Senate provision.
Impact on small businesses
Q: I own a small business. Would I have to buy insurance for my workers? What help could I get?
A: Both the House and Senate bills would exempt small businesses from having to provide coverage, and would provide tax credits for some small firms. Your firm's bottom line is more likely to benefit from the Senate version.The Senate would exempt companies with fewer than 50 workers from having to offer insurance. The House excuses companies with annual payrolls of less than $500,000; firms that are bigger would pay a fee equivalent to a portion of their payroll costs if they don't offer insurance. That payment would rise to 8 percent of payroll for the largest firms.If your firm has no more than 25 employees, it might be eligible for tax credits as high as 50 percent of premium costs under both bills. The full credits are for the smallest firms with low-wage workers; they shrink as the size of your company and your work force's earnings rise.The House tax credits are available only if your employees' average wages don't exceed $40,000 a year, while the Senate allows firms with average wages of up to $50,000 to qualify. The House's tax credits aren't available to employers for workers who earn more than $80,000 a year.
