How will obama's victory your health?

Barack Obama said that as president, he’d make big changes to health care. Will it help your family?

Coverage for Kids
Although Obama's plan does not require that all people get health insurance, he says he will make sure that all children are covered. When children are born, their parents will be required to enroll them in an insurance plan or sign up for a program like Medicaid or the State Children's Health Insurance Program (which are government programs designed to help cover lower income families). One way that this requirement may be enforced is by requiring children to show proof of insurance when they enroll in school, according to a paper published by policy research group American Enterprise Institute.

Affordable Insurance for Everyone
Health insurance will not be required for all adults under Obama's plan, but he does propose a way to make it easier to get and cheaper for anyone who wants it. In his campaign materials, he promised that anyone who already has an insurance plan they like will be able to keep it. However, he has also suggested creating a national insurance program and a national pool of private insurance plans, where people who are not insured can choose one. He also plans to expand Medicaid to cover more people.

Employer Insurance Requirements
Obama's plan also calls for all businesses to offer health insurance to their workers. The companies that don't provide insurance will be forced to pay an additional tax, which will go toward paying for the national insurance and insurance pool, according to a study by the Lewin Group, a health care policy research group. He also proposes to provide help to small business owners who may not be able to afford to provide health care or pay the tax.