The Baucus Plan offers tax relief for all individuals and families with income under 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) who choose to buy a health care plan through the insurance exchange. The Baucus Plan would cover all children in families under 250% of the FPL with the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and all individuals and families in poverty with Medicaid.
The Plan creates the Commonwealth Care Health Insurance Program (CCHIP), which is designed to provide subsidized insurance for state residents with income below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and ineligible for MassHealth, the state Medicaid program. CCHIP offers flexible premiums and requires no deductibles. Residents under 100% of the FPL are eligible to receive subsidies for comprehensive insurance without deductibles or premiums.
The plan continues and expands MassHealth, the federally-funded state Medicaid program designed to offer subsidies for low-income residents. Specifically, the Massachusetts HC Plan expands the eligibility for MassHealth to all children in families with income below 300% of the FPL.
Eligibility for the Insurance Partnership program will be expanded from those families with incomes under 200% FPL to those families under 300% FPL. The Insurance Partnership program offers premium payment assistance to employers that insure their employees under the MassHealth program. The partnership is intended to incentivize small businesses to provide their employees with affordable insurance.
The Vermont Plan subsidizes individuals with income up to and including 300% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Medicaid covers families and individuals up to 200% o the FPL and the state government subsidizes those earning between 200% and 300% of the FPL. The plan, through the state’s Medicaid program, covers children in families with income under 300% of the FPL. The plan promotes the Vermont Health Access Plan, which covers all residents with income under 150% of the FPL.
The Obama does not propose direct measures to change Medicaid eligibility. However, it does pledge to provide universal access to medical care for children. It also guarantees access to affordable health care subsidies for all individuals who cannot afford private health insurance.
The Canadian system offers primary, secondary, specialized and supplementary coverage to low-income families and individuals.