Even in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s affirmation of its Constitutionality, The Af-fordable Healthcare Act of 2010, much better known as “Obamacare,” remains misunders-tood, sometimes maligned and often mysterious. Recent polls by both CNN and the Kaiser Foundation revealed that the majority of poll respondents did not know precisely what bene-fits they receive as plan provisions take effect between 2012 and 2014. Pollsters reported, “Many people asked us, ‘What, exactly, do we get?’”
Highlights of the Affordable Healthcare Act of 2010
Although the legislation eventually stretched to several thousand pages, its highlights are fairly simple and straightforward. The Affordable Healthcare Act provides…
Dramatically improved coverage for children
The Affordable Healthcare Act is especially kind and generous to children. It includes unprecedented support for new parents, providing them with everyday supplies, counseling connections, and links to all kinds of low-cost care. The new law eliminates fees and co-pays for routine “well-baby” doctors’ office visits, and it provides no-cost vision and hearing exams, immunizations and developmental screenings. The law mandates coverage for children with pre-existing conditions including leukemia, diabetes and birth defects. It also substantially increases coverage and benefits for children suffering chronic diseases, especially asthma and Type I diabetes.
Preventive and diagnostic care for the whole family
Among the fundamental tenets in the Affordable Healthcare Act, the importance of timely and proper preventive care especially stands out. Glen White stresses, “Preventive visits drastically reduce healthcare costs for everyone by catching potentially serious injuries and diseases before they require lengthy hospital stays or expensive treatments. As the cost both of hospital stays and certain treat-ments continues to rise faster than the rate of inflation, insurance companies pass them on to families like yours in the form of higher premiums and co-pays.” The new plan provides for all kinds of diagnostic tests, especially including mammograms and colonoscopies at no cost to patients.
Tougher regulations on cancellations, exclusions and other questionable practic-es
In the past, insurance companies frequently screened applications for “errors,” us-ing them to deny coverage or payment when patients became seriously ill. Patients with pre-existing conditions, of course, were automatically denied coverage, and insurance carriers frequently found questionable reasons for refusing coverage for ostensibly eligible poli-cyholders. The new law prohibits those practices and outlines substantial penalties for com-panies that persist in unscrupulous eligibility and payment schemes.
Better protection for “big kids,” early retirees, and Medicare seniors
In the past, most major health insurance carriers dropped “children” from their parents’ plans when they reached age 19. The new system requires them to continue coverage up to age 26 even if adult children do not live with their parents, are not financially dependent on their parents or are married. This new provision has special value for college students who regularly need immunization, authorization for college sports, and treatment for stress-related illnesses. The new system also extends health benefits for people who retire between ages 55 and 65 and lose their employers’ benefits before they become eligible to receive Medicare benefits. The law establishes a $5 billion fund to support employer-based coverage for early retirees. Perhaps most importantly, the new system provides prescription drug benefits for Medicare seniors who reach the routine coverage limit but have not reached the threshold of catastrophic care; the plan plugs the so-called “donut hole.” Eligible seniors receive brand-name prescription drugs at substantially reduced costs and generics at rock-bottom prices.
Elimination of coverage limits
The Affordable Healthcare Act prohibits insurance companies’ imposition of lifetime dollar limits on essential health services, especially hospital care and rehabilitation. Federal government officials explain, “Under the new law, insurance companies’ use of annual dollar limits on the amount of insurance coverage a patient may receive is restricted for new plans in the individual market and all group plans.” In 2014, a ban on all annual limits takes effect and covers all new plans in all markets.
Find reliable information online
The law also made extensive provision for public information services, especially websites devoted to detailed, accurate information written in plain English and linked to authoritative legal and medical sites. For a quick, readable summary of the law and its benefits for hard-working American families, go to www.healthcare.gov.
Jack Cage is a guest writer for www.ppiclaims.uk.com where you can find informa-tion on mortgages, interest rates and special financing savings.
