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Bill Would Have Different Effects On Different People (USA TODAY)
House and Senate to begin negotiations next month. Here are major groups that would face changes:
Self-employed
People who buy health coverage on their own — not through an employer — would face some of the biggest changes under the health care bills.
Like all Americans, independent contractors and the self-employed would be required to have coverage by 2014 or face a penalty.
About one-third of the 22 million self-employed don't have coverage, said Kristie Arslan with the National Association for the Self-Employed.
Some provisions would help: Insurers could no longer deny coverage or increase premiums because of pre-existing medical conditions. Enrollees would be protected from having their coverage dropped if they got sick.
But premiums for some in the "non-group" insurance market would increase 13%, the Congressional Budget Office predicts.
For those eligible to receive subsidies, premiums would fall 59% on average, but subsidies would be available only to individuals earning less than $43,320 a year.
Reid and other Democrats say the higher prices for some would buy more stable coverage because the bills would set minimum standards for policies.
Arslan said some members of her association would rather have the ability to choose fewer perks if it meant paying less.
"Entrepreneurs need lower costs and they need flexibility," said Arslan, whose group opposes the Senate bill.
"In this economy, it's all about the bottom line," she said.
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