A whole bevy of consumer-friendly provisions in the healthcare reform law kick in on Sept. 23, six months after the legislation was signed, according to a report by Kaiser Health News. Here are a six key points about the new provisions.
1. More insurers dropping children-only policies. Aetna, Humana and the Golden Rule subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group joined the list of insurers that will stop selling individual policies to cover children because of the new ban on denials for preexisting conditions for children's policies, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. WellPoint, Cigna and CoventryOne already announced their withdrawal citing the new regulation, which starts on Sept. 23.
2. Won’t take effect until coverage renewals. For many consumers, the changes won't take effect until their health plans are renewed. Most plans renew on Jan. 1 of each year.
3. Young people on parents' insurance. Young people can remain on their parents' policies through age 25. Eligible persons can be married but their dependents won’t be eligible. Also, they themselves won't be eligible if their employer already offers insurance.
4. Proviso on annual limits. New annual-limits restrictions apply only to big-ticket items like hospitalizations and not to smaller items like durable medical equipment.
5. Delay for employer-based plans. Employer-based plans that existed when the reform law was signed won't have to follow many of the new rules until Jan. 1, 2014 or when they make policy changes such as raising employee co-payments and deductibles.
6. Other major changes. Insurance companies will no longer be able to cancel policies because someone becomes sick or set lifetime caps on coverage.
Read more coverage of healthcare reform:
- Three Insurers to Stop Offering New Children's Policies, Citing Reform Law
- HHS' Call to Enroll More Children Runs Up Against State Budget Problems
- 6 Ways Republicans Plan to Chip Away at Reform Law After Election
1. More insurers dropping children-only policies. Aetna, Humana and the Golden Rule subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group joined the list of insurers that will stop selling individual policies to cover children because of the new ban on denials for preexisting conditions for children's policies, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. WellPoint, Cigna and CoventryOne already announced their withdrawal citing the new regulation, which starts on Sept. 23.
2. Won’t take effect until coverage renewals. For many consumers, the changes won't take effect until their health plans are renewed. Most plans renew on Jan. 1 of each year.
3. Young people on parents' insurance. Young people can remain on their parents' policies through age 25. Eligible persons can be married but their dependents won’t be eligible. Also, they themselves won't be eligible if their employer already offers insurance.
4. Proviso on annual limits. New annual-limits restrictions apply only to big-ticket items like hospitalizations and not to smaller items like durable medical equipment.
5. Delay for employer-based plans. Employer-based plans that existed when the reform law was signed won't have to follow many of the new rules until Jan. 1, 2014 or when they make policy changes such as raising employee co-payments and deductibles.
6. Other major changes. Insurance companies will no longer be able to cancel policies because someone becomes sick or set lifetime caps on coverage.
Read more coverage of healthcare reform:
- Three Insurers to Stop Offering New Children's Policies, Citing Reform Law
- HHS' Call to Enroll More Children Runs Up Against State Budget Problems
- 6 Ways Republicans Plan to Chip Away at Reform Law After Election