Health Insurance Law kicks into 2nd gear

[bushisanidiot]

The republicons are gonna have a fine time trying to take away "Obama-care" benefits from the american people once they start seeing those benefits pay off in their pocket books. Good luck with that, guys! haha!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_health_care_q_a

" Wed Sep 22, 3:05 am ET

CHICAGO – The nation's new health care law turns 6 months old Thursday and starts delivering protections and dollars-and-cents benefits that Americans can grasp. But it won't affect all consumers the same way, which may cause confusion.

Q: Will everyone's health insurance change on Thursday?

A: No. It depends on when your health insurance plan year starts. Many of the new requirements begin with plan years starting on or after Sept. 23. But if your plan year starts Jan. 1, as many do, that's when the changes start.

"Grandfathered" plans, those that existed before the law was enacted March 23 and which remain essentially unchanged, must meet only some of the requirements. New plans and those with significant changes in benefits or out-of-pocket costs must comply with even more changes in the law.

Q: How do I know how my health plan fits in all this?

A: If you get insurance through work, ask your employer about any changes. If you buy insurance yourself, call your insurance company.

Q: What are some of the new benefits?

A: Free preventive care, for one. Some people will no longer have to pay copays, coinsurance or meet their deductibles for preventive care that's backed up by the best scientific evidence. That includes flu vaccines, mammograms and even diet counseling for adults at-risk of chronic disease.

Q: Are there exceptions?

A: Free preventive care isn't required of existing health plans that haven't changed significantly, those "grandfathered" plans we mentioned earlier. New plans, and those that change substantially on or after Sept. 23, must provide this benefit.

Q: What other changes start Sept. 23?

A: If you go to an emergency room outside your plan's network, you won't get charged extra. Patients will be able to designate a pediatrician or an ob-gyn as their primary care doctor, avoiding the need for referrals that are required by some plans.

Q: I've heard lifetime limits are being eliminated. What does that mean?

A: Millions of Americans have insurance that sets a cap on what their insurance will pay to cover their medical costs over a lifetime. The caps have left very sick patients with medical bills topping $1 million or $2 million high and dry. These lifetime limits will be eliminated for plans issued or renewed on or after Sept. 23.

Those who have maxed out because of the caps but remain eligible for coverage must be reinstated on the first day of the plan year that begins on or after Sept. 23.

Q: What about annual limits?

A: Plans issued or renewed on or after Sept. 23 can't have annual limits lower than $750,000. Annual limits will be eliminated entirely by 2014.

Q: Are there exceptions?

A: Employers and insurance companies can apply for waivers for so-called "mini-med" plans that offer limited benefits. The intent of the waivers is to allow these low-cost plans to exist so that people don't lose their health coverage when premiums go up.

Q: Any changes that affect parents?

A: Insurers can no longer deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions. Parents can keep their adult children on their health plans until age 26.

Q: Are there other consumer protections?

A: The law bars insurers from canceling policies retroactively when a person gets very sick and runs up high bills. Insurers still will be able to rescind policies in cases of fraud and intentional misrepresentation. But they can't cut you off when you need coverage most for a capricious reason.

Q: Why Sept. 23?

A: That's six months after President Barack Obama signed the law. Many provisions were scheduled to start six months after enactment.

Q: Are these changes likely to raise health insurance premiums?

A: The Obama administration says the new benefits will raise premiums by no more than 1 to 2 percent. Benefit consulting companies say the impact will be in the single digits, but may vary from plan to plan. "

[zipplewrath]

1. Health INSURANCE law

You might want to edit your subject.

[bushisanidiot]

2. Ok, Thanks.

I just took part of the title from the article's title.. which should have included "insurance".

[thetonka]

3. Unfortunately

for all the propaganda of how critical it was for all these changes in insurance to be put in place during 6 month period of time the very things the leaders in Congress said this reform would stop happened.

My Brother in law is still on deaths door, still does not have the pacemaker he desperately needs, is still looking at over half a million dollars in medical bills, and is still going to have to file bankruptcy.

Meanwhile my family and I will see absolutely no change due to the changes in the law, and many of the people I know have already seen massive increases in insurance costs.

The Democratic leadership had a chance to put in place real reform that would have help the people in this country. They failed to do so and every time they brag about how great this reform is I want to hit someone.

[Vinca]

4. Every time I hear about what is currently "kicking in," I think the same thing.

I honestly thought - apparently like a fool - that after more than a year of debate I would have had some kind of medical coverage and an opportunity to get my hip replaced before the thing totally disintegrates. Like a fool, I thought I would be able to afford the pre-existing pool. Your poor brother-in-law. This is not right in the so-called "greatest" country on earth.

[thetonka]

5. The Health "care" reform bill

had NOTHING to do with Health Care. It had EVERTYHING to do with bragging rights for the party, and maintaining the flawed insurance for profit system we have now.

Health Insurance IS NOT Health Care. The politicians in charge were ultimately only interested in doing SOMETHING, instead of figuring out the real problems and fixing them.

Maybe it's just the Engineer in me, but bandaids are NEVER as effective as root cause resolution.

[bushisanidiot]

7. You've got to be kidding me! The dems TRIED. They couldn't do it

alone. They had to peel away some republicons to get enough votes to pass it.. and they BARELY had the votes!!

The President had, and still has the republicons arguing that he's a socialist and the left of the democratic party arguing that he's too much of a centrist. The man can't win. There's no way to please everyone, but at least he got a bill through that can be improved upon.

It's sure as hell better than sitting around with your thumb up your ass, like the republicons have been doing for the last 4 years, whining like a bunch of babies!!

[thetonka]

9. Blaming the other guys

does not negate the fact that we STILL do not have real reform.

[derby378]

13. can be improved on = planned obsolescence

I think we're all getting tired of being told that "help is just around the corner." We don't have 50 years to wait for Congress to muster up enough will to tweak this reform package.

[thetonka]

14. Scrap the entire "system", and start over

[woo me with science]

6. Remember this? Obama predicting great COST REDUCTIONS under his plan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUd-slJc-GY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxl9eExU5VA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_yt9GT-Mas&p=7948374513EA6FF2&playnext=1&index=12

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdj5bEXZ_0E

[eleny]

8. Since preventative care is covered then overall costs could very well go down

I'm going to call my plan to see if vaccinations are covered for flu, and since I'm over 60, for shingles, too. The shot for shingles costs $200. That would save me a tidy bundle.

[woo me with science]

10. My costs (and those of many others) went up by over $100 per MONTH,

and are likely to do so again soon.

This on a plan with a deductible so high people can't afford to use the insurance.

A vaccination is not going to make these people feel better.

[eleny]

11. All we can do then is speak for ourselves - My premiums didn't go up at all

Coverage is the same except for what went into effect by the new law. If I don't have to pay for the $200 shingles vaccination, I will be ahead.

[woo me with science]

12. No, I can speak for a lot of other people. nt

[eleny]

15. I'm in a pool of tens of thousands of retired people

I can assert that our premiums and coverage are not going up for 2011. The notice and plans book just arrived in the mail yesterday detailing premiums and coverage for the coming year.

So I can say with confidence that given the new law our overall costs could go down in 2011 if some preventative care is now covered.

You can't change that fact or presume that overall costs in the USA will go up based on your experience. On balance, as the law is implemented over several years, costs could go down.

[woo me with science]

16. I believe that even OBAMA has admitted

that costs will go up significantly.

Do a search for recent news reports about health care costs. Everyone is acknowledging that they are spiraling. You will see that your situation is atypical.

[eleny]

17. I'll wait to well into next year to see if overall costs go up, down or remain about the same

Since the new law is only kicking in this week, it's too early to tell about the overall costs.

Costs are not the same as premiums. Premiums are a portion of overall costs.

Thanks for the discussion. I have to leave for an appointment now. So, please take the last word if you feel the need.

[bushisanidiot]

18. My costs haven't gone up at all.

Neither have any of my co-workers' costs.

maybe your situation is the one that's atypical.