Thursday, September 23, 2010

More Health Care Provisions Start Today

Peter Dreier summarizes:
As of today, insurance companies can no longer deny insurance to children with pre-existing conditions--the young people who are ill and need insurance the most. As many as 5 million children fall in this category.

As of today, insurance companies can no longer drop people from coverage when they get sick because they made clerical mistakes on their applications.

As of today, insurance companies will no longer be allowed to drop children from their parents' health insurance plans after they reach 21 or graduate from college, unless they are offered coverage at work. About 1.6 million young adults between 21 and 26 will go onto their parents' policies.

As of today, insurance companies will be prohibited from placing lifetime caps on health coverage.

As of today, insurance companies will be restricted in their use of annual limits on coverage and will be banned completely in 2014.

As of today, insurance companies are required to cover recommended preventive services with no out-of-pocket cost for patients and with preventive services exempt from deductibles.

As of today, employer-sponsored health plans can no longer establishing any eligibility rules for coverage that discriminate against lower- and middle-income employees.
At the link, the provisions that were already in effect.

So end a number of worries that nag at people. It'll take a little time to become accustomed to their absence, but we'll do it.

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