Effects of Healthcare Reform on the Tampa Bay Area

The House Commerce Committee has posted some reports on the impact of healthcare reform on various congressional district, including our own 9th (Bilirakis), 10th (Young), and 11th (Castor).

In my own home district (the 10th), the reform would help an estimated 13,600 residents with pre-existing conditions keep or get healthcare. This is a big deal, because the fine folks in Tallahassee have been allowing insurance companies to flatly deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions trying to buy insurance in the individual market (though letting the insurance industry get away with whatever they want can't be surprise to those who read about this) - which means that 13,600 people in the district are, among other things, discouraged from starting a small business, because they can't buy coverage, but must take a position at a larger company that provides healthcare benefits through a group plan. The only other options are to go without health insurace or to go on Medicaid.