Families USA Tweaks Mitt on 'Obamneycare'

Families USA, a left-leaning group that strongly supports health care reform, tweaked the Romney campaign Thursday with a comparison of “Romneycare” and “Obamacare”.

The Obama administration and members of Congress who wrote the Affordable Care Act have been upfront in saying that the health care plan then-Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney signed into law in 2006 formed part of the basis of the 2010 federal health care law. It was the signature initiative of President Obama’s new administration, and Republicans quickly labeled it “Obamacare” and cried out for its repeal.

“A close look reveals two health laws drafted with almost identical key components,” Families USA says.

Romney hasn’t exactly campaigned on his achievement, but he hasn’t denied it either. He just says what’s right for Massachusetts isn’t necessarily right for the country as a whole, and he’s also promised to work to repeal the federal law if elected.

Families USA has put out a visual comparison of the two laws. Some of its bullet points:

• Romneycare creates a new individual insurance marketplace, callled the “Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector,” to offer policies to consumers (Section 101); Obamacare creates a new individual insurance marketplace, called an “exchange,”  to offer policies to consumers (Section 1311)
• Romneycare authorizes “tiers” of insurance coverage, which are called Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Young Adult (Section 101); Obamacare sets the following tiers for policies: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze,and Young Adult (Section 1302).
• Romneycare limits the factors insurers can use — such as health status and gender — to vary premiums (Section 82); Obamacare limits the factors insurers can use — such as health status and gender— to vary premiums (Section 1201).
• Romneycare requires state residents who are able to afford coverage and do not purchase it to pay tax penalties (Section 12); Obamacare requires those who are able to afford coverage and do not purchase it to pay tax penalties (Section 1501).
• Romneycare ties hospital payments to the quality of care they provide (Section 25); Obamacare ties hospital payments to the quality of care they provide (Sections 3008, 3025).

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