President Clinton has signed into law the biggest health-reform legislation since Medicare was

President Clinton has signed into law the biggest health-reform legislation since Medicare was enacted in 1965. It will help dentists and other health-care providers whose patients have lost their insurance. It guarantees a patient won`t lose health insurance, even if he or she changes jobs or has a chronic medical condition. It prohibits insurance companies from charging a person with a medical problem higher premiums than someone in good health. The law also provides new benefits for small businesses. Insurance firms offering small-group plans for companies with up to 50 workers must sell a policy to any small employer who applies. The legislation provides benefits for the self-employed, too. They will be able to deduct 40 percent of the cost of their health insurance from their income tax. The deduction rises gradually until 2006, when the self-employed will be able to deduct 80 percent of the cost.

Judi Hasson

Washington Correspondent