Comparing the House, Senate health proposals

Erica Werner

WASHINGTON — House Democratic leaders presented a new health care overhaul bill Thursday that melds legislation passed by three committees over the summer and makes a series of changes to accommodate lawmakers' concerns. In the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., is finalizing legislation merging the work of two committees and making other changes. Here are details on the two bills. The Senate bill has not yet been made public, so some specifics are unknown.

Who's covered

House: About 96 percent of legal residents under age 65 ? compared with 83 percent now. About one- third of the remaining 18 million non-elderly people left uninsured would be illegal immigrants.

Senate: The Senate Finance version covered an estimated 94 percent of Americans. Illegal immigrants would not receive government benefits.

The cost

House: The Congressional Budget Office says the bill's cost of expanding insurance coverage over 10 years is $1.055 trillion. The net cost is $894 billion, factoring in penalties for individuals and employers who don't comply with the new requirements. That's under President Barack Obama's $900 billion goal. However those figures leave out a variety of new costs, including providing more prescription-drug coverage for seniors, so there's no official estimate on the total cost of the legislation.

Senate: Leaders aim to keep it under $900 billion over 10 years.

How it's paid for

House: $460 billion over the next decade from new income taxes on single people making more than $500,000 a year and couples making $1 million. There's also more than $400 billion in cuts to Medicare and Medicaid; a new $20 billion fee on medical-device makers; $13 billion from limiting contributions to tax-free flexible spending accounts; sizable penalties paid by individuals and employers who don't obtain coverage; and other corporate taxes and fees.

Senate: Fees on insurance companies, drug makers, medical-device manufacturers. Tax levied on "Cadillac" insurance policies. Cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. A fee on employers whose workers receive government subsidies to help them pay premiums. Fines on people who fail to purchase coverage.

Requirements for individuals

House: Individuals must have insurance, enforced through a tax penalty. People can apply for hardship waivers.

Senate: Almost everyone must get coverage through an employer, on his or her own or through a government plan or face a fine.

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