President Obama will sign the recently-passed health care bill on Tuesday and the moment he does, ten provisions will go into effect. Here is how health care reform will begin working for Americans come Tuesday.
- Current uninsured Americans who are uninsured because of a pre-existing condition will have immediate access to insurance, although that insurance will be obtained through a temporary high-risk pool.
- Children who are under the age of 19 will not be able to be excluded from any new insurance plans because of their pre-existing condition.
- Adult children will be able to remain on their parents’ health insurance policy and remain dependents until the age of 26.
- Health insurance companies will not be able to drop someone from their coverage when they get sick.
- Prescription drug prices for seniors will be lowered, making medications more affordable and closing the “donut hole” for Medicare patients.
- Small businesses will now be entitled to a tax credit for 2009 and 2010. This tax credit could actually wind up being as much as 50% of what was paid for employees’ health insurance.
- Lifetime limits and annual caps on coverage will be eliminated.
- All health care insurers must post their balance sheets on the internet as well as fully disclose their administrative costs, executive compensation packages and benefit payments.
- Free preventative services and immunizations for all Americans.
- Consumers will have access to an effective internal and external appeals process, giving them to opportunity and responsibility to appeal new insurance plan decisions.
Congratulations to all americans. This is the best thing that has happened to your inhabitants in a long time. Now people of (almost) all social classes will be able to have help when they need it. Maybe you can call it socialistic, but I call it humane to want to take care of your fellow citizens.
I agree that we desperately need something like this legislation. Take a look at Michael Moore’s “Sicko” if you haven’t already. But the real question is whether it ends up saving the country money in the long run…