Brought to you by Alison Gordon Insurance Services, Inc. CA license #0780178

Change Is The Only Constant

ObamaCare — aka Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act — aka PPACA — aka PeePeeCaCa — is about to launch the first round of big changes in health insurance plans in every state, every insurance company, every plan, every one.

No later than 9/23/10, there can be no lifetime limits on health plan coverage.  This will apply to new policies you buy which go into effect 9/23/10 or later.  For existing policies — the ones you bought before 9/23/10 — you probably won’t see any changes until 1/1/11.

No later than 9/23/10, all plans must include preventive care benefits at no cost to you, no co-pays, no deductibles.  Again, for existing policies, you probably won’t see this new benefit until 1/1/11.

No later than 9/23/10, dependents can stay on their parent’s plans until age 26.

No later than 9/23/10, insurance companies better have a damn good, provable, reason to cancel (rescind) your individual policy.

No later than 9/23/10, the government had to create a high risk pool for people who cannot get individual insurance due to pre-existing conditions.   The government did launch its website a couple of months ago.  Twenty-nine states are not participating on the federal level, including CA.  But these states must have their own high risk pool launched no later than 9/23/10.  So far we have absolutely no idea what the insurance plans will cover or what they will cost.   It’s all still a mystery.

No later than 9/23/10, insurance companies must cover pre-existing conditions for children through age 18.  Interestingly, the PPACA does not say that an insurance company must insure a child with pre-ex conditions.  The law only states that, if approved, a child’s pre-ex conditions must be covered.  But, the insurance companies are complying with the intent of the law which was to provide health insurance — guaranteed — for children.

Sadly, the unintended consequence of this last provision is that many insurance companies are dropping their “child only” plans.   The entire family will have to enroll — at a higher cost — in order to get coverage for their high risk child.

The Insurance Mom wants to give you a big heads-up (and a hug!) about where the price of insurance is likely to go once these changes happen.    When the insurance companies are forced — aka mandated — to provide certain levels of benefits, you can guarantee the cost of those mandates is going to be passed along to you!

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From,
Alison

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