Daniel Boone Regional Library

Databases

• EBSCO
  Provides full text for nearly 1,750 general reference publications with full text information dating as far back as 1975. Suggested search term: “Health Care Reform”
• Infotrac
  Access to periodical and news information on the complete range of general interest topics; includes nearly 12,000 titles. Suggested search term: “Health Care Reform”
• NewsBank
  Full text articles from over 600 American newspapers including the Columbia Daily Tribune, Kansas City Star, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Chicago Tribune, New York Post and The New York Times. Updated daily. Suggested search terms: “health care AND legislation”
• SIRS
  General reference database containing thousands of full-text articles exploring social, scientific, health, historic, business, economic, political and global issues. Search leading issues “Health Care Reform” for an overview of the current debate on Health Care reform presenting pros and cons of the proposals that will be debated with the resumption of congressional activity.

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Health Care Reform Proposals

• “Where your legislators stand on the health care debate”
  Article by Michael Sewall published in the Columbia Missourian, November 6, 2009.
• America’s Affordable Health Care Choices Act
  Access the text and history of “America’s Affordable Health Care Choices Act” in the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions. To view House activity and a summary of the proposed legislation go to the House's version of America's Affordable Health Care Choices Act
  There is a printout of House Health Care bill H.R. 3962 at the Columbia Public Library reference desk.
• HealthReform.gov – U.S. Dept of Health & Human Services
  Select state to “see how health insurance reform will help you and your state.”
• Congressional Budget Office
  The Congressional Budget Office estimates “the budgeting impacts of federal health care programs, preparing studies of health policy issues, and estimating the budgetary and other effects of proposals to alter the health care system.”
• American Medical Association – “Our Vision for Health System Reform”
  Click on Resources for details on the AMA’s position on the reform proposals plus links to related information from many other sources in the health related fields.
• American Medical Association – “H.R. 3200: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions”
  A fact sheet explaining the American Medical’s Association reaction to the main proposals of Senate bill H.R. 3200 with special attention given to the major concerns over certain provisions of the bill.
• AARP – American Association of Retired Persons
  The AARP’s position on health reform and the organization’s response to the current proposals.
• American’s Health Insurance Plans
  A national political advocacy and trade association for companies that sell health insurance plans. It is opposed to the current health care reform proposals.
• “A Primer on the Details of Health Care Reform”
  Article by Robert Pear and David M. Herszenhorn published in the New York Times, August 9, 2009
• Kaiser Family Foundation
  Point by point analysis and “side-by-side comparison” of major health care reform proposals from a non-partisan foundation that studies health care reform.
• Statehealthfacts.org – Kaiser Family Foundation
  Data from each state on health costs, budgets, expenditures, health coverage and uninsured, Medicare recipients and many other categories of information. Also compares data from all states on these and many other categories of data.
• Georgetown University Health Policy Institute
  Analyzes and monitors “how federal policy developments and state based initiatives affect the health care coverage of America’s families.” Find a comprehensive list of all the health care reform proposals up to this point. Click on Resources for links to research papers on the topic.
• Health Care in America – CNN Special Topic
  CNN updates this featured topic daily. See the latest news about health care reform with links to previous news articles and commentary.

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Check the Facts

• PolitiFact.com
  PolitiFact is a project of the St. Petersburg Times to “help you find the truth in politics.” The site won a Pulitzer in 2009 for its coverage of the 2008 election.
• Maplight.org
  Free public interest database about connections between lobbyists, money and legislation with lists of the interests & specific groups who support & oppose the proposed reform bills.
• Whitehouse.gov
  Uploaded videos from individuals working in various organizations debunking “the myth that our health insurance system is fine the way it is.”
• “Who’s Behind Health Care Reform Ad Wars” – CNN Topic
  As part of the CNN Special Topics on Health Care Reform, this section is updated frequently.

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Finding Health Insurance

• A Consumer Guide: Questions and Answers about Health Insurance
  General consumer guide produced by the Dept. of Health & Human Services Agency for Health Care Research & Quality and America’s Health Insurance Plans explaining the differences between types of plans and the terminology used to describe plan features.
• Insure Kids Now – U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
  A new bill “makes millions of children eligible to receive health insurance.” Find out more about each state’s CHIP/Medicaid program. The Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) also provides for dental benefits.
• New COBRA Rules
  “The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) provides for premium reductions and additional election opportunities for health benefits under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, commonly called COBRA. Eligible individuals pay only 35 percent of their COBRA premiums and the remaining 65 percent is reimbursed to the coverage provider through a tax credit.”
• CNN – “How to shop for Health Insurance”
  Online article by CNN Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen, with advice on the things to look for in a good policy plan.
• Health Plan Report Card – Ratings by the National Committee for Quality Assurance
  The National Committee for Quality Assurance is an independent accrediting organization. Search by state, zip-code or health plan name to find comparisons of accredited health insurance plans.
• U.S. News & World Report – Best Health Plans 2008
  Search by region, state, accreditation or plan name. Rankings are a result of “consumer surveys and success in preventing and treating illness compared with average heath plan.” The highest possible score is 100 using data from the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
• Ehealthinsurance.com
  Search for plans by state, “compare individual insurance plans side- by- side” and get quotes.
• National Association of Insurance Commissioners
  Search for information on insurance companies before you purchase insurance.
• Foundation for Health Coverage Education – Uninsured Help Line
  The US uninsured help line is a phone service “designed to help you find free and low cost health insurance.” Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week in multiple languages.
• Patient Advocate Foundation
  A national non-profit organization that “seeks to safeguard patients access to care, maintenance of employment” and financial stability when facing serious health issues.
• Families USA: the Voice for Health Care Consumers
  A national non-profit, non-partisan organization that advocates for “high-quality affordable health care for all Americans” through grassroots action, watchdog activities and the provision of public information.

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