page_title: Healthcare reform debate in the United States
section_title: Differences in how each chamber determines subsidies
hierarchical_section_title: Healthcare reform debate in the United States / Congressional Proposals for Health Care Reform / Differences in the House and Senate Bills / Differences in how each chamber determines subsidies
caption_attribution_description: English: House Bill and Senate Bill subsidies for health insurance premiums.
context_page_description: The healthcare reform debate in the United States has been a political issue focusing upon increasing medical coverage, decreasing costs, insurance reform, and the philosophy of its provision, funding, and government involvement.
context_section_description: How each bill determines subsidies also differs. Each bill subsidizes the cost of the premium and the out-of-pocket costs but are more or less generous based on the relationship of the family's income to the federal poverty level.
  The amount of the subsidy given to a family to cover the cost of a premium is calculated using a formula that includes the family's income relative to the federal poverty level. The federal poverty level is related to a determined percentage that defines how much of that family's income can be put towards a health insurance premium. For instance, under the House Bill, a family at 200% of the federal poverty level will spend no more than 5.5% of its annual income on health insurance premiums. Under the Senate Bill, the same family would spend no more than 6.3% of its annual income on health insurance premiums. The difference between the family's maximum contribution to health insurance premiums and the cost of the health insurance premium is paid for by the federal government.
  To understand how each bill can affect different poverty levels and incomes, see the Kaiser Family Foundation's subsidy calculator
caption: The relationship between a family's poverty level and the percentage of their income that is allotted to pay for health insurance. Note that the Senate Bill provides for Medicaid coverage up to 133% of the federal poverty level while the House Bill provides for Medicaid coverage up to 150% of the federal poverty level. Adapted from the texts of the House Bill and Senate Bill.
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