US House Passes Affordable Health Care for America Act

Boston (DbTechNo) - A new health care bill has been passed in the US that will bring insurance to millions of Americans who are currently living without it.

The House passed the bill on Saturday night, bringing a sense of hope to not only millions of Americans lacking health care coverage but also to gay couples.

The bill, dubbed the Affordable Health Care for America Act extends Medicaid to cover more families who otherwise would not qualify due to “moderate” income, and reduces the taxes that are paid by gay couples.

Before the bill goes into actual effect, it must be passed by the Senate and signed off on by President Barack Obama.

“Collectively, unmarried couples lose $178 million per year to additional taxes,” the report says. “U.S. employers also pay a total of $57 million per year in additional payroll taxes because of this unequal tax treatment.”

“I meet people all the time who are gratified they work for companies that offer domestic partner benefits,” Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said. “But they pass on the benefits because they cannot afford the taxes that go with the benefits.”