Obama's Health Insurance Plan -- Will You Be Covered?

Will the Obama health insurance plan cover all Americans? How many will be left out? Will you receive the coverage you need for yourself and your family?

According to recent surveys, an estimated 45 million Americans are not covered by health insurance. The legislation Obama plans to enact is designed to reduce the cost of health care by $2500 per year per family, with a goal of ensuring that every American is covered.

Here are a few highlights of Obama's health care plan that might help you decide for yourself.

• First, in an effort to reduce errors and save money, he plans to provide and up-front investment of $50 billion for information technology systems.
  
  
• His plan also includes reimbursing employers for a portion of what it would cost them to reduce workers' premiums and mandating preventative care and disease management programs.
  
  
• Next he plans to provide coverage for every American by providing a range of options through private insurers through a new "National Health Insurance Exchange" or a public plan. Under the new program nobody could be turned down because of "pre-existing medical conditions." He would then offer tax credits to those who don't qualify for Medicare or SCHIP.
  
  
• Obama's plan would create a Small Business Health Tax Credit that would refund up to 50 percent off employees' plans if employers agree to offer quality plans to workers.
  
  
• The plan would also attempt to reduce to cost of prescription drugs by allowing the export of drugs from other countries.

And The Answer Is...

Nobody knows for sure. With the economy in tatters, domestic carmakers gasping for help (and more money)and rising food and energy bills, it's hard to say. Some researchers estimate that 15-20 million people won't be covered by Obama's health insurance plan. And some are a bit more optimistic.

Meanwhile, more and more of the 45 million uninsured Americans are seeking affordable health care without having to buy insurance, by turning to an alternative called discount health plans.

Here's how health discount plans work...