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Consumer Benefits of Healthcare Reform
Unless you've been living underground for the past two years, you are well aware of the spirited discussions that have taken place in Congress and at dinner tables across the country over healthcare reform. For most, you either like it or you hate it, but how well do you really know the provisions included in this legislation?
Did you know that many Americans are already enjoying some of the benefits healthcare reform has to offer? Consider these changes that went into effect September 23, 2010 to make affordable health insurance a reality for many more Americans today.
For the Kids
Ensuring affordable health insurance for children is one of the top priorities of healthcare reform. For this reason, two important provisions went into effect this year:
- Parents can now cover their children on the family plan until they reach the age of 26. This allows parents to extend coverage through the college years and up to the time that their sons and daughters find employment that includes affordable health insurance.
- Insurance companies are no longer allowed to deny coverage to children under the age of 19 with pre-existing conditions. Your child with diabetes or asthma no longer has to worry about getting the affordable health insurance he needs, no matter what happens to your employment or current health insurance coverage.
Keeping Us Healthy
In an effort to keep the general population healthier and lower health care costs across the board, healthcare reform includes free preventative care beginning this year. Now, you can get immunizations, blood tests and many types of cancer screenings without having to pay a deductible or co-pay.
No-No's for Insurance Companies
In addition to prohibiting insurance companies from denying affordable health insurance to children with pre-existing conditions, the government established the following rules:
- Insurance companies are no longer allowed to rescind someone's coverage because he becomes ill and begins to run up medical bills for necessary treatment.
- Insurance companies cannot impose lifetime limits on insurance coverage any longer, ensuring those that end up with catastrophic medical issues can get the treatment they need without worry over insurance coverage ending.
- The government will begin regulating the annual limits insurance companies can pose to policy holders. By 2014, those annual limits on essential services like hospitalizations will be gone completely.
In addition, consumers will now have more rights under the law in appealing insurance company decisions regarding coverage or benefits. An external review process has been established to help patients negotiate disagreements with insurance companies so that a fair and just decision can be reached in all coverage disputes.
September 23, 2010 was a momentous day for healthcare reform, with many changes going into effect regarding what affordable health insurance looks like. Many of the changes that are now in place benefit patients in unprecedented ways.
Whether you receive an unexpected diagnosis and need coverage protection, or simply want more bargaining power when shopping for affordable health insurance, healthcare reform is there to help you. Get tuned into the provisions of healthcare reform that have already been implemented so you can become a more savvy consumer and patient.
Visit the InsureMonkey homepage to start a health insurance quote.
