Bill Overview
Title: Fair Care Act of 2022
Description: 2 This bill addresses the health care system, including Medicare, Medicaid, the private health insurance market, and the prescription drug approval process. The bill also revises tax provisions related to certain health care costs and establishes requirements for lawsuits involving health care provided, at least in part, through a federal program or with federal funds.
Sponsors: Rep. Westerman, Bruce [R-AR-4]
Target Audience
Population: People worldwide dependent on US health care regulations and systems
Estimated Size: 240000000
- The bill impacts Medicare, which primarily serves individuals aged 65 and older in the US. As of 2023, there are approximately 60 million people enrolled in Medicare.
- Medicaid is targeted by the bill. Medicaid covers low-income individuals and families, which accounts for about 84 million individuals in the US, including children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities.
- The bill includes the private health insurance market. Approximately 183 million people in the US are covered by private health insurance as of 2023.
- The prescription drug approval process impacts all individuals who use prescription medications, both in the US and globally. Globally, approximately 1.3 billion people have high blood pressure and require medication, indicating a broad impact of drug availability.
- Tax provisions related to health care costs are revised under this bill, impacting taxpayers in the US who deduct medical expenses. Around 9% of US taxpayers utilize this deduction, representing about 15 million people.
- Lawsuits related to health care provided through federal programs affect providers and beneficiaries involved in such lawsuits. This indirectly impacts all individuals covered by federal health care provisions.
Reasoning
- This policy primarily impacts elderly and low-income populations due to its focus on Medicare and Medicaid; hence, we should include multiple elderly individuals in our simulations.
- The prescription drug approval process affects a wide range of individuals, including those with chronic conditions, so individuals with specific health needs should be represented.
- Tax provisions will influence a smaller portion of the population, particularly those who already claim healthcare-related deductions on taxes.
- Including individuals with private health insurance is critical as the policy affects this market as well.
- We must consider geographic diversity since healthcare access and costs vary widely across locations in the US.
Simulated Interviews
retired teacher (Florida)
Age: 67 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm concerned about how changes in Medicare might affect my out-of-pocket expenses.
- If prescription drug costs decrease, it would be a huge relief.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
software engineer (New York)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Any reduction in insurance premiums would be welcome, but I don't expect much impact personally.
- I worry a bit about potential tax changes affecting my deductions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
healthcare worker (Texas)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Medicaid support for my children is crucial; any instability there worries me.
- Private insurance is costly; any savings would be beneficial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 3 |
pharmacist (California)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Timely drug approvals are crucial for patient care.
- Policy changes could affect my job depending on how the industry adapts.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
small business owner (Ohio)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Any swings in healthcare costs greatly affect my business's bottom line.
- Revised tax provisions could help if they allow more deductions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
retired factory worker (Pennsylvania)
Age: 72 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I rely heavily on Medicare and any reduction in costs would be critical for my wellbeing.
- Changes to prescription drug costs are particularly relevant to me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 3 |
construction worker (Nebraska)
Age: 39 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Medicaid is essential for my family's healthcare needs.
- I'm worried about any potential cuts or eligibility changes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 2 |
teacher (Illinois)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope any changes make insurance more affordable as I consider early retirement.
- Healthcare tax changes could impact my financial planning for retirement.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
full-time caregiver to spouse (Oregon)
Age: 61 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Any financial relief from Medicare would be significant for my household.
- Changes in lawsuit regulations are less of a concern unless they impact medical-related legal issues.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
graduate student (Washington)
Age: 25 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm unsure how changes will impact me but I'm hopeful it doesn't increase costs.
- Drug price changes could be beneficial if I need to start medications.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000000 (Low: $45000000000, High: $60000000000)
Year 2: $51000000000 (Low: $46000000000, High: $61000000000)
Year 3: $52000000000 (Low: $47000000000, High: $62000000000)
Year 5: $54000000000 (Low: $49000000000, High: $64000000000)
Year 10: $58000000000 (Low: $53000000000, High: $70000000000)
Year 100: $85000000000 (Low: $75000000000, High: $98000000000)
Key Considerations
- The implementation timeline for reforms in multiple healthcare system components can delay cost or savings realization.
- The broad target population means diverse impacts across different groups, requiring careful consideration of equity measures.
- Economic impacts would depend on the scale and nature of reforms, particularly whether cost controls in drug pricing lead to broader industry acceptance or resistance.