Important Terms when discussing this reform...

        When talking about health reform some terms arise that many Americans, like myself, are unsure about.  So below the title is a link to a health reform dictionary, but I summarized what I thought was important here in terms that make it much easier to grasp.

1. Benefit Package: This is all the health services your insurance plan will cover.  This may include doctor's visits, dental, medications, or it may be minimal and only cover a few select services.  You may hear some people state their job has "Benefits". This is their coverage. Some employers offer a benefits package with employment and others do not.
2. Children's Health Insurance Program: (also known as CHIP) This came about in 1997 as a federal-state program.  It provides health care coverage for uninsured children who do not qualify for Medicaid.  This is a great program because children can have health care coverage even if their parents can not provide it.
3. Co-Payment: This is a predetermined and fixed fee that the individual will pay at the time of receiving a service or a prescription.  For example I am a military dependent.  At a military hospital I receive everything without co-payment, but when here at campus I must pay a small fee when receiving services because it is not with a specific type of provider.
   
4. Employer Pay-or-Play: Employers are required to offer and pay for health benefits for their employees. Another option is they pay a specified percentage to a public fund.
   
5. Group Health Insurance: Health insurance that is offered to a group of people such as employees of a company.  The majority of America has this through their employer or spouses employer.
   
6. Health Care Cooperative: (Co-Op) This is a non profit member run health insurance organization.  It has a board of directors that are elected by its members that run the organization. these provide coverage to individuals and small businesses and are capable of running at state, regional, and national levels.
   
7. Premium: The amount paid [usually monthly] for health insurance. This can be shared between employers, employees, and the government.
   
8. Public Option: This is a proposal for a new insurance plan.  It would be administered and funded by federal or state government.
   
9. Universal Coverage:This simply means every American would be provided health coverage.
   

Check out this page for more terms that may arise in your research Glossary of Key Health Reform Terms