8 Immediate Cost Benefits of Health Care Reform

So which of these do YOU think is wrong? What benefits here DON'T you
think US citizens should have?


http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnews/20100924/ts_usnews/8immediatecostbenefitsofhealthcarereform;_ylt=AobuO9isPRhd9M.qAqEkR32s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTRnMGcydjNnBGFzc2V0A3VzbmV3cy8yMDEwMDkyNC84aW1tZWRpYXRlY29zdGJlbmVmaXRzb2ZoZWFsdGhjYXJlcmVmb3JtBGNjb2RlA21vc3Rwb3B1bGFyBGNwb3MDNQRwb3MDMgRwdANob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX2hlYWRsaW5lX2xpc3QEc2xrAzhpbW1lZGlhdGVjbw--

Deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions: For children
younger than age 19, health plans can no longer limit or deny coverage
simply because the child has a pre-existing health condition. This
provision does not mean that such coverage will be inexpensive, but at
least coverage will be available.

Impose lifetime limits or caps on health coverage: Some insurance
policies place lifetime spending caps on coverage. Once the limit is
reached, there is no more health coverage available. Under the new
law, health plans can no longer set a lifetime dollar limit on
benefits, which can be particularly important for those with expensive
medical conditions.

Cancel a policy without proving fraud: Currently, health plans can and
will cancel coverage retroactively if you failed to accurately
disclose required information on the insurance application. Under the
new law, the insurance carrier must prove that the information was
left off the application by reason of fraud before canceling the
policy.

Deny health claims without giving you a chance to appeal the decision:
For new health plans, you can now have the right to ask the insurance
company to reconsider any denial of coverage. And if they still deny
the claim, you have the right to appeal the decision to an independent
reviewer.

In addition to the above restrictions, new health insurance plans must
provide the following:

Free preventative health services: New health plans are now required
to offer access to preventive services such as screenings,
vaccinations and counseling at no charge, including no copayment,
co-insurance, or any deductible. Depending on your age, preventative
services may include blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol tests;
many cancer screenings; routine vaccinations; flu and pneumonia shots;
and regular well-baby and well-child visits, from birth to age 21.

Young adults can stay on parent's plan until age 26: Most health plans
can remove children from coverage at age 19. Under the new rules, the
age is extended to 25 if they don't already have coverage through
their job. The new rule applies even if the child does not live at
home or is married.

Choose a primary care doctor and pediatrician: With new health plans,
you can now choose the pediatrician or primary care doctor or you want
from your health plan's provider network. You can also see an OB-GYN
doctor without getting a referral from your primary care physician.

Use the nearest emergency room without penalty: Under existing plans,
you can often pay significantly more if you visit an emergency room
that is not in your insurance company's provider network. With new
health plans, you won't be required to get prior approval before
seeking emergency room services from a facility that is outside of
your plan's network. In addition, you won't have to pay higher
copayments.

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Relevant Pages

  • Re: 8 Immediate Cost Benefits of Health Care Reform
    ... Deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions: ... health plans can no longer limit or deny coverage ... Depending on your age, preventative ...
    (talk.politics.guns)
  • Re: 8 Immediate Cost Benefits of Health Care Reform
    ... Deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions: ... health plans can no longer limit or deny coverage ... Depending on your age, preventative ...
    (talk.politics.guns)
  • Re: O/T: New tack
    ... Maybe mandate a risk pool type procedure for the "uninsurable", forbid denial of coverage for those who move between plans, and let those who choose not to have health insurance to be left to pay for their own service. ... paying for most indepndently available health plans is pretty much out of the question if you'd also like to be able to have food on the table and get to and from work... ...
    (alt.smokers.cigars)
  • Re: 8 Immediate Cost Benefits of Health Care Reform
    ... Deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions: ... health plans can no longer limit or deny coverage ...
    (talk.politics.guns)
  • Re: 8 Immediate Cost Benefits of Health Care Reform
    ... Deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions: ... health plans can no longer limit or deny coverage ...
    (talk.politics.guns)