Our health care focus at PharmacyChecker.com is, of course, prescription drug safety and savings. But today we want to simply recognize and report on the first real benefits to come from the now six-month-old health care law. Health insurance companies must make some seriously consumer-friendly changes. As of now, insurers:
– Must not exclude children from coverage because of pre-existing health conditions. The White House has noted that this may explain coverage to 72,000 children who were previously insured.
– Must offer adult children under the age of 26 coverage under their parent’s health plans.
– Will be prohibited from dropping customers due to technical mistakes on their applications.
– Must offer preventative procedures like colonoscopies, mammograms, diet counseling and immunizations without co-payments.
– May no longer put lifetime limits on benefits.
– May no longer put annual limits into place lower than $750,000. All limits will be eliminated by 2014.
– May not deny claims without a chance for appeal.
Above the noise of the loud politics permeating coverage of Obama’s health care law, today’s changes and implementations will help many Americans receive the health care they deserve, and for this we are supportive and grateful.
