Health Matters in the 2008 Election

Health Issues 101

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Part D

Part D is the name for Medicare's prescription drug insurance program. Most states offer dozens of Part D prescription drug plans through private insurance companies, so the breakdown of the benefits can vary widely. Under Part D's "standard" benefit for middle class beneficiaries, the government pays 75% of all drug costs up to $2,400 in any single year, after monthly premiums and a $265 deductible are met. But coverage then stops until your drug costs reach $5451. That coverage gap is known as Part D's "doughnut hole," and it is highly controversial. Another big Part D controversy is over who should be able to bargain for the best drug prices. Current law says only separate private insurance companies can negotiate with drug companies over price. But most Democrats, joined by some Republicans, want that law repealed so that the federal government can bargain directly with drugmakers.

Portable Insurance

If you have health insurance through your job but then change jobs, lose your job, or become self-employed, federal law says that insurers must continue to sell you the same coverage you had in your previous job, at roughly the same price. This concept is known as "insurance portability." The law, known as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, also bars insurers from hiking premiums in group plans based on health status, age, and other factors. The law helps protect workers as they transition jobs, and helps prevent insurers from "cherry picking" only the healthiest and youngest beneficiaries for coverage.

SCHIP

SCHIP stands for the State Children's Health Insurance Program. About 6 million low-income children get coverage through SCHIP, which, like Medicaid, is run by states with financial assistance from the federal government. About half the states use SCHIP to cover children up to 200% of the federal poverty level, or about $41,000 for a family of four. The other half cover children up to 250% or higher. SCHIP has many supporters in both political parties, but the plan has become controversial. An estimated 9 million U.S. children still lack health coverage, and many Democrats and a few Republicans want to spend more money on SCHIP to cover more kids. President Bush opposes those expansions because they would grow the government's role in the health care system.

Stem Cells

Stem cells are cells with the ability to transform themselves into different body tissues. This makes them an attractive target for scientists looking for new disease cures. Embryonic stem cells are present in human embryos at the very earliest stages of development. Because they can grow into any form of cell, scientists are actively searching for ways to program them to grow into cells that could repair damage to the heart, blood vessels, nervous system, and other organs. Congress has voted several times to expand embryonic stem cell research. But some conservatives, led by President Bush, oppose the research because harvesting stem cells usually means destroying human embryos. Adult stem cells are not controversial because they are harvested from bone marrow and other sources. Adult stem cells have been used to treat some diseases but are not as versatile as embryonic stem cells.

Universal Coverage

This is a general term for any plan designed to give medical insurance to all citizens in a state or country. Two states, Massachusetts and Vermont, have laws on the books striving toward universal coverage of all their residents. Most universal coverage proposals in the U.S., including those of most presidential contenders, rely on a mixture of private insurance and government programs to expand health coverage. Another form of universal coverage favored primarily by liberal Democrats is called "single-payer" health care. That means the government functions as the nation's insurer, providing taxpayer-sponsored medical coverage to all citizens.

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WebMD Special Report

Medically reviewed by Louise Chang, MD.

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Health Matters in the 2008 Election

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