|
|
| REPUBLICANS WOULD PERMIT INSURERS TO DENY COVERAGE TO PEOPLE WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS |
 |
| Wednesday, 06 October 2010 01:48 |
|
NEWS – CONGRESSMAN PETE STARK Pledge Against America's Health:
REPUBLICANS WOULD PERMIT INSURERS TO DENY COVERAGE
TO PEOPLE WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS WASHINGTON – The House Republican pledge unveiled two weeks ago would turn back the clock on health care progress. Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, today criticized the Republican plan to allow insurers to discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions. "The Republican pledge is a health insurers' bill of rights, rolling back important protections for people with pre-existing conditions," said Chairman Stark. "As with health insurance contracts, read the fine print when it comes to Republicans and their supposed assistance for people with pre-existing conditions. Limited protections only apply if a person maintains continuous health insurance coverage, and the Republicans continue to allow insurers to charge them more and limit their benefits." Health reform offers new protections to people with pre-existing conditions. For plan years beginning after September 23, 2010, insurers are no longer able to deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions. When the new health insurance exchanges open, insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage to anyone with pre-existing conditions. Insurers will also not be allowed to charge higher premiums to people with pre-existing conditions or exclude benefits related to the person’s condition. The Republican pledge would repeal these consumer protections, and return to health insurers the power to deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, charge higher premiums, and exclude benefits. The only protection their pledge offers is that people who have maintained continuous coverage cannot be denied coverage based on pre-existing conditions. That means anyone who is already uninsured can continue to be denied coverage, and even those who are offered coverage will not be protected from higher premiums and fewer benefits. For additional information on how the Republican pledge is detrimental to America's health: End reinsurance program for early retirees: http://go.usa.gov/ac2 Shut down healthcare.gov: http://go.usa.gov/al8 Gut programs to fight Medicare fraud, waste, and abuse: http://go.usa.gov/xuT Increase the uninsured by 29 million: http://go.usa.gov/xMU Kick people out of new Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plans: http://go.usa.gov/x60 Eliminate the small business tax credit: http://go.usa.gov/xsj Re-open the Medicare Part D donut hole: http://go.usa.gov/xGe Repeal investment in health IT: http://go.usa.gov/xGF More to come... # # # |
|
Washington Office 239 Cannon Building Washington, D.C. 20515 (p) 202-225-5065 (f) 202-226-3805 |
Fremont Office 39300 Civic Center Drive, Suite 220 Fremont, CA 94538 (p) 510-494-1388 (f) 510-494-5852 |