National Health Reform Law and Policy Project

Summaries of National Health Reform Proposals


For a comprehensive summary of the key provisions of the major pieces of health reform legislation, please click on the proposal of interest below. In addition, a link to the status of each proposal on the www.thomas.gov website is also included below. As new major pieces of legislation are introduced, summaries of those proposals will be added here.

  1. Summary of The Healthy Americans Act (S.391) introduced by Senator Wyden (D-OR) on February, 5, 2009 (status of S.391)
  2. Summary of The Patients' Choice Act (S. 1099) introduced by Senator Coburn (R-OK) on May 20, 2009 (status of S.1099)
  3. Summary of The American Health Security Act of 2009 (S. 703) introduced by Senator Sanders (I-VT) on March 25, 2009 (status of S.703)
  4. Summary of The America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 (Waxman, Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 3200) introduced by Representative Waxman (D-CA) on July 15, 2009 (status of H.R.3200)
  5. Summary of The Affordable Health Choices Act (S. 1679) introduced by Senator Harkin (D-IA) on September 17, 2009 (Title I only) (status of S.1679)
  6. Summary Table of America's Healthy Future Act of 2009 (Amended Chairman's Mark) as approved by the Senate Finance Committee on October 2, 2009 (Note* this Summary Table is organized according to the Health Reform Taxonomy) (Chairman's Mark .PDF; status of S.1796)
  7. Summary of The Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) introduced by Representative Dingell (D-MI) on October 29, 2009 and passed by the House of Representatives on November 7, 2009. (status of H.R. 3962)
  8. Summary of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590) introduced by Senator Reid (D-NV) on November 19, 2009 with Manager's Amendment introduced on December 19, 2009; passed by the Senate (December 24, 2009) and the House (March 21, 2010) and signed into law on March 23, 2010 as Pub. L. 111-148. Also includes references to President's Health Reform Proposal released on February 22, 2010.) (status of H.R. 3590)
  9. The Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act (Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 4872) introduced by Representative Spratt (D-SC) on March 17, 2010; passed by the House (March 21, 2010) and Senate (March 25, 2010) and signed into law on March 30, 2010 as Pub. L. 111-152. (status of H.R. 4872)

Additional Analysis

Summary of Limits on Abortion Coverage Under H.R. 3962