Insurance industry agrees to fix kids coverage gap

[deminks]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jYnajhWrPEXihcCrpRNfUKN7rN-AD9EOKJ0O2

WASHINGTON — The insurance industry says it won't fight President Barack Obama over fixing a coverage gap for kids in the new health care law.

In a letter Monday to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, the industry's top lobbyist says insurers will accept new regulations to dispel uncertainty over a much publicized guarantee that children with pre-existing medical problems can get coverage starting this year.

The president of America's Health Insurance Plans said the industry will "fully comply" with the regulations, expected within weeks.

The law was signed last week, but the fine print was not clear on whether kids with health problems were guaranteed coverage starting this year, or if they might have to wait until 2014.

(end snip)

That didn't take long. Go, Sec. Sebelius!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Secretary Sebelius takes no prisoners!

[SharonAnn]

7. As Molly Ivins would;ve said "Good on her!". I'm sure she'll get to do it again.

[mike_c]

2. c'mon-- they were never really gonna take advantage of sick kids....

No way! They just wanted to make us look. :rofl:

[MadMaddie]

3. Hunh...I honestly didn't see that coming!

The Sebilius slap down must have had an impact!

[RB TexLa]

4. Adults have to wait, children don't have to wait? I guess some are more equal than others.

[anigbrowl]

8. Is this a poorly thought out attempt at sarcasm?

Generally children don't have any economic wiggle room at all, whereas an adult without health insurance at least has the hope of finding a job that provides it, or is able to file for public assistance on their own behalf, etc.

[drm604]

5. Yes!

:headbang:

[tridim]

6. Power, used for good. Finally.

Who's your daddy?

[anigbrowl]

9. They sure folded quickly on that one...

...wouldn't surprise me if some of their major corporate clients called up and told them to put the bong away.

[dflprincess]

10. Only because they got caught and because kids are involved or

they've found an even bigger loophole to exploit and they threw this one out as a distraction.

[ecstatic]

11. did anyone *not* think the issue would be resolved quickly?

I took Congress and the President at their word when they said the denial of kids with pre-existing conditions ends with the bill that was just passed. Sure, the insurance companies are powerful, but they are NOT above the law.