Health Care Game Changer?---$1.3 billion in rebate checks to nearly 16 million Americans

[kpete]

Health Care Game Changer?

The Obama administration will soon announce $1.3 billion in rebate checks to nearly 16 million Americans from health insurance companies.

Mark Halperin: "From almost the moment the Affordable Care Act (a/k/a "ObamaCare&quot was signed into law, the administration has been playing defense... But the rebate provision of the law -- the fruits of the so-called '80/20 rule' -- is about to kick in big time, as millions of Americans receive rebate checks or premium reductions from insurance companies who have failed to spend enough on patient care. This cash could be a true game changer in public attitudes about whether the law actually is beneficial and good public policy."

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2012/05/11/health_care_game_changer.html

As citizens and employers throughout the country receive their checks, the potential political impact in presidential battleground states could be significant:

Florida: 1,753,065 people get $148,589,661
Ohio: 211,930 people get $10,727,574
Virginia: 642,886 people get $40,896,992
Iowa: 66,040 people get $1,239,379
Colorado: 511,684 people get $25,725,984
Michigan: 144,542 people get $18,995,911
Nevada: 75,633 people get $8,771,820
Pennsylvania: 1,064,019 people get $104,533,779
New Hampshire: 3884 people get $244,132

Read more: http://thepage.time.com/2012/05/11/halperins-take-why-aca-rebates-are-a-big-deal/#ixzz1ucGREiPB
http://thepage.time.com/2012/05/11/halperins-take-why-aca-rebates-are-a-big-deal/

[elleng]

1. Rachel discussed, with Ed Rendell.

[Ruby the Liberal]

2. Anyone know specifics on this part?

Small employers covering almost 5 million people will receive around $377 million (an average break of $76), while larger employers covering about 7.5 million people will get approximately $541 million (an average of $72). According to administration officials, employers are obligated to pass those savings onto their employees.

How do you know if your employer got a rebate - and how does this affect those on COBRA who are no longer on payroll?