Historic health insurance reform was signed into law by the President on March 23, 2010. The new law provides Alaskans and all Americans more affordable, reliable and accessible health care. Millions of people and small business owners will benefit from tax credits, more competition in the insurance marketplace, and significant steps to reduce the deficit.

And we all win with major reforms of the insurance industry. No longer will insurance companies be allowed to impose caps on lifetime coverage, drop insurance coverage because of an illness, or deny coverage because of a pre-existing condition. Senator Begich voted for passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the final fixes to the new law contained in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act.

Now Alaskans want to know more about the new law. Senator Begich has talked personally with many people who ask about the details and the timeline. After a year of misleading advertising and overblown speeches, Alaskans understandably want to know the facts.

Here is more information:

• How The New Law Affects Alaska
• Timeline For Health Insurance Reform
• What's In - And Not In - The New Reform Law
• Small Business Tax Credit Information
• Medicare and the New Health Care Law – What it Means for You

Here are three immediate benefits of the new law:

• Help For Small Business - Providing tax credits for 8,600 Alaska businesses so coverage is more affordable.
• Help For Seniors - Closing the drug "doughnut hole" and improving other Medicare benefits for nearly 60,000 Alaska seniors.
• Help For Families - Allowing parents to extend their health insurance to cover dependent children up to age 26.

Why Senator Begich voted for health insurance reform:

The status quo in Alaska makes the case for health reform abundantly clear. Nearly one-fifth of all Alaskans do not have health coverage. Family insurance premiums more than doubled this decade. Without reform, costs were projected to double again to nearly $25,000 in 2016, consuming more than 40 percent of family income. Alaska families with insurance have long paid a "hidden tax" of $1,900 annually to pay for care for those without health coverage. Health spending in America now accounts for 18 percent of all economic output and if unchecked will keep rising and consume nearly one-third of the economy by the time my son is raising his own family. For these reasons, Senator Begich supported passage of comprehensive health care reform.

Background and timeline of Senator Begich’s involvement in health insurance reform:

In 2009 and 2010, the senator hosted seven town halls, multiple roundtable sessions and countless meetings and conversations on health reform with Alaskans. In every meeting he told Alaskans he didn't come to Washington to defend the status quo, and will continue to work hard to be part of the solution on health reform, which save lives, save money and saves Medicare.

In May 2009, he shared thoughts on health care and Alaska's needs with Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus. You can read the senator’s letter to the Chairman here.

Then, in July 2009, Senator Begich joined eight other senators in sending a second letter to Chairman Baucus. In it, they urged the importance of making sure any final health reform bill significantly reduces the costs of delivering medical care. The centerpiece of reform is making sure health care coverage is accessible and affordable to all Americans; equally important is making universal coverage sustainable over the long term by "bending the cost curve" to drive down overall costs. You can read the letter here.

In December 2009, Senator Begich joined other freshman Democrats in introducing a detailed package of amendments designed to cut costs to consumers, increase value and innovation in the health care system and, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, save hundreds of millions of dollars. The package has been well received by health economists and other observers. You can read coverage here.

Here is a look at other Alaska-specific amendments Senator Begich inserted or strongly supported in the new law.

In a January 2010 letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid, he successfully asked for the excise tax on expensive health insurance plans to be scaled back or eliminated.