Posted by Phillipa on June 29, 2013, at 20:17:39
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Pre-Existing Conditions and Health Reform: FAQ
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AAA.Having a health condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, or depression used to be a problem if you were shopping for health insurance.
That's all changing with health care reform.
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Starting in 2014, health insurance companies won't be able to turn you down or charge you more for health insurance just because you have a medical condition. They also cant make you wait before getting or continuing treatment, and they can't drop your coverage.These protections all come from the Affordable Care Act.
How do I know if I have a pre-existing condition?
Pre-existing conditions are health problems you already have at the time you apply for health insurance. They can include:
Life-threatening illnesses such as cancer
Chronic conditions such as asthma, depression, diabetes, and heart disease
Short-term things, like back injuries or pregnancy
Will health care reform laws make it easier to include a child with an ongoing health problem on my insurance plan?
Yes. As part of the Affordable Care Act, since September 2010, insurers are no longer allowed to deny health coverage to children younger than 19 because of a pre-existing condition.
Will needing insurance coverage for a pre-existing condition make me have to pay higher premiums?
Starting in 2014, health plans can no longer use pre-existing conditions as a reason to charge you more each month for your premium.
Health plans will be allowed to adjust premiums based only on:
Whether you have an individual or family plan
Where you live, since medical costs are higher in some areas than others
Your age
Your current and past use of cigarettes or any other tobacco productIf my company offers the same health insurance plans they did when I wasn't covered for a pre-existing condition, will I be eligible for my company's coverage now?
That depends on whether you have a "grandfathered" health plan. But an existing medical issue will still be covered.
A grandfathered plan is one that existed on March 23, 2010. Thats when the Affordable Care Act became law.
If you had a health plan at that time, you have the option of keeping it.
Some grandfathered plans dont have to follow all the new health care reform rules or can phase them in over time.
However, some parts of the new law apply to all plans. Covering pre-existing conditions for everyone by 2014 is one of those.
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