Health Care Reform (Affordable Care Act)

17th August, 2010 - Posted by admin - Comments Off on Health Care Reform (Affordable Care Act)

“Afford Care Act”

As we are aware, a major goal of the Affordable Care Act (Health Care Reform) signed into law on March 23, 2010, is to put consumers back in charge of their health care and to correct some of the egregious practices of insurance companies (i.e., terminating health plans of patients that are currently ill), especially the benefits and costs.

To that end, numerous websites are dedicated to posting information pertaining to the relevant issues of health care reform. One such website, www.HealthCare.gov, presents the facts in a narrow yet easily interrupted manner.

Here are some of the more salient points of one of their latest editions:

Affordable Care Act

Insurance rate raises will be reviewed by the Department of Health and Human Services in an effort to prevent unreasonable increases.
Pre-existing condition individuals will have an opportunity to purchase health insurance through Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) as of July 1, 2010, and then through Exchanges in 2014.
Stop insurance companies from limiting the care you need. As of September 23, 2010 there will be no exclusions on pre-existing conditions for children, will prohibit insurers from removing your coverage based on unintentional mistakes, and ban insures from setting lifetime limits.
Remove insurance company barriers between you and your doctor. As of September 23, 2010, no prior approval will be required to seek emergency room treatment at a hospital outside your network. You can see an OB-GYN without a referral from your insurance company. And, you can select any doctor from your provider network as your primary physician.
As of September 23, 2010, children under the age of 26 will be allowed to remain on their parent’s insurance plans.
As of September 23, 2010, no children will be denied health care coverage due to pre-existing conditions.
As of January, 2011, insurers will be required to spend at least 80% to 85% of your premium dollars on direct medical care (individual/small group and large groups, respectively).
No arbitrary rescissions of insurance coverage except cases involving fraud.
Health Care Reform (Affordable Care Act) is geared to providing more Americans health care coverage with fewer restrictions, more access, and lower costs. After President Obama signed the bill into law, many of us forgot about the implementation of the law. I will attempt to stay on top of the changes that are occurring, and when those changes will be adopted into our daily lives.