September 22, 2010
Harkin Joins Iowans in Celebrating Six-Month Anniversary of Health Reform Law
Affordable Care Act milestone marked with new “Patient’s Bill of Rights” that takes effect ThursdaySenator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today issued the following statement as Iowans rallied to celebrate the six-month anniversary of the Affordable Care Act – the landmark health reform effort –becoming law. The law was signed on March 23, 2010 by President Obama. Harkin, as Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, played a pivotal role in the bill’s Senate passage and was on hand for the bill signing.
“These new protections represent an historic expansion of patient’s rights over their health insurance, and they will have a profound impact on the lives of Iowans and all Americans.
“The new law is extending access to quality, affordable coverage to nearly every American; Medicare beneficiaries have already seen several benefits of this new law; and the bill is jumpstarting America’s transformation from our current ‘sick care’ system to a true health care system. These are welcome reforms that usher in a new era in American health care: one where the benefit is with people, not insurance companies.
“This is sweeping legislation that will benefit different Iowans differently – I encourage everyone to visit http://www.healthcare.gov to learn more about which benefits are available to them and their family.”
Under new Patient’s Bill of Rights that takes effect on September 23, the law will:
- Ban discrimination against children with pre-existing conditions – Job-based health plans and new individual plans won’t be allowed to deny or exclude coverage for children under age 19 based on a pre-existing condition, including a disability.
- Guarantee free preventive care – All new plans will include recommended preventive care with no cost to the consumer. Services like mammograms, colonoscopies, immunizations, pre-natal and new baby care will be covered and insurance companies will be prohibited from charging deductibles, co-payments or co-insurance. Up to 88 million people will have access to preventive care with no out of pocket costs.
- Outlaw practice of dropped coverage based on application errors – Until now, insurers have used technicalities to retroactively cancel coverage for patients who get serious illnesses. One big insurer specifically targeted women diagnosed with breast cancer, and many companies have rewarded employees with bonuses based on the number of cancelled policies and the money saved. Starting September 23, insurance companies are banned from cutting off coverage due to mistakes on applications.
- Crack down on insurance companies limiting coverage – Companies are prohibited from imposing lifetime dollar limits on essential benefits, such as hospital stays. Restrictions are imposed on annual limits.
- Ensure the right to appeal – Consumers can appeal coverage determinations made by their insurer to an independent third party.
- Extend coverage for young adults – Young adults will be allowed to stay on their parents’ plan until their 26th birthday.
Earlier this week, Senator Harkin joined Families USA to release a new report showing that beginning in 2014, approximately 261,200 people in Iowa will be eligible for new tax cuts that will significantly reduce the cost of private health insurance for those individuals and families. A copy of that report can be found here.
For more information on the Affordable Care Act, please visit http://www.healthcare.gov/, http://www.whitehouse.gov/HealthReform or http://harkin.senate.gov/.
