The New Health Care Rules

A recent blog written by Julie Rovner on NPR's website explains to us how with the election past us, President Obama and his administration are laying down the rules for what will be our new health care plan.  After years of disputing what will, and what will not be part of Americans health care, there are finally some ground rules that have been established.  We now know that not all, but a big chunk of President Obamas plan will be effective.  States and insurance companies have been waiting for a long time in trying to figure out what to do.  Most of the states were waiting for a final result in the presidential election to decide what to do, while others already had a plan had either Obama, or Romney won.  Now that everyone knows who will be running the country for the next four years, both states and insurance are hurrying to get the official rules that way they can move forward with their states health exchange plan.

So what do we know that is official from health care reform?  Julie Rovner, explains in detail some of the most important changes we can expect.  One of the biggest changes is that companies have to comply with the anti discriminatory changes that will be in effect in 2014.  Health insurance will be available to everyone regardless of their health status, or pre existing conditions.  People with pre existing conditions will not pay higher premiums, and also the most important part of this new changes is that people can not be cancelled from their health insurance due to illness.

129 million people with pre existing conditions can now feel at ease because it is officially illegal for insurance companies to discriminate.  Now of course there is still time for adjustments and change, but that time is coming to a close. People can complain or ask for adjustments, but end date for any changes will come Dec. 26th.

Another stipulation rules that both states and insurance companies will have to lay out the benefits that it will offer, Individuals, and small businesses will have to choose from packaged plans that will benefit the individual.  The rule also states that each individual will have a plan that is at minimum equal to the typical insurance plan offered by a small business.  This however, can of course vary depending on the agreement between the state and the insurance companies that have been previously agreed upon.

Another interesting fact is that each individual will have a series of plans to choose from that is broken down in the simplest of ways, it will be broken down into how much each plan will cover in medical bills.  For example, bronze will cover 60 percent, silver will cover 70 percent, gold will cover 80 precent, and platinum will pay 90 percent.

This for many Americans will be great.  Not only has the complexity of choosing a health care plan been erased, but we as Americans can feel protected now, knowing that we will no longer be taken advantage of.

For more information on the new health care plan take a look at this video