Health insurance for preexisting conditions
In the United States, until the Affordable Care (ACA) Act was enacted in 2010 most individual and group health plans excluded coverage of people with existing conditions. In other words, people with health conditions like asthma, high blood pressure or allergies might have to pay more for their health insurance.
This discrimination had a big impact on people with chronic illnesses and injuries, which made it difficult to find affordable coverage. In the past, the only option to avoid discrimination was by purchasing a large-group health plan. These plans were available to all employees at companies with more than 500 employees.
The plans are more expensive and do not cover all services that people require, like preventive care or prescription drugs. They often have lifetime benefit limits. Many of these plans charge very high out-ofpocket expenses for cancer treatments and major medical costs.
Prior to the ACA, a patient with a preexisting condition would have had to wait a certain amount of time before enrolling in a new health plan. The waiting time could range between six months and a year depending upon the state regulations, type of policy, and plan.
Lori is a 48-yearold freelancer who has a chronically high blood BP condition. Her condition was well-controlled with two medications. She was not able to afford insurance until she took out her own policy, and started paying the monthly premiums. She was frustrated with the lack of affordable coverage that she could afford. So, she tried to find ways to get a more comprehensive insurance policy for herself.
She eventually enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan. This plan included drug coverage, and there was no waiting periods for pre-existing health conditions. She also paid $2 more per month in order to receive a prescription benefit that would cover her medication.
Preexisting conditions are still a factor in insurance decisions, and can be used to deny coverage or force people to pay more for their policy. However, this happens very rarely. Insurers are limited in how much they can charge people who have preexisting conditions. However non-ACA conforming companies can still discriminate by excluding these people or raising premiums.
Coons claims that the ACA provides preexisting conditions protections for the 150 million Americans who receive their health insurance through their employer, but it is not true. HIPAA only provided protections against pre-existing conditions for people with employer-sponsored health insurance. The ACA, however, extended this to anyone who purchases their own individual or family coverage via the ACA marketplace.
A Ca and pre-existing conditions
The Affordable Healthcare Act is a significant law that helped millions of Americans gain affordable health care insurance. The law's provisions that prevent people with preexisting health conditions from being denied coverage are among the most popular. Republicans have brought several challenges to the Supreme Court, but they have not succeeded in overturning it. It is therefore vital that Congress passes a strong health insurance law that will ensure everyone can afford it.