Where can I get the specifics of the health care bill and its changes? We’re trying to make a few insurance decisions on kids in college, and I’m unsure when certain parts of the bill go into effect.
My particular question regards the section allowing kids to stay on parent’s insurance until a certain age (26, I think?).
Thanks in advance for any help, links.
Good question. You can’t really ask any of the congressmen or senators that came up with the monstrosity because none of them even bothered to read it.
Here is one specific to kids. This is a more general summary of immediate benefits. Both sites are good resources for other details.
Of course, if you want to make your eyes bleed, you can read the full text of the law here (item 7).
[Moderator Note]
squeekster, pointless political commentary of this kind is not suitable for GQ. No warning issued, but don’t do this again.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
Sorry, it won’t happen again. But I answered the question “Where can I get the specifics of the health care bill and its changes?” by telling the OP where not to look and why. I apologize if my answer doesn’t fit with the status quo here.
Except you’re wrong too - Calling your local congressional office for help understanding how the law effects you and your family would be a great way to get answers. That’s not a commentary on your answer or your injection of politics into the answer. But to factually answer pullin, your congressman’s office knows what the law means and their constituency service people would be happy to help you understand it.
Some of the time sequencing is available here:
So for example this year, “Young adults will be able to stay on their parents’ health plans until the age of 26”, and “Insurers will be barred from excluding children for coverage because of pre-existing conditions.” The adult ban on pre-existing conditions only goes into force in 2014, the same year that the individual mandate takes effect.
The link states other benefits that phase in this year as well as for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, 2015. Over 5, 10 and 20 year periods the plan is expected to cut the budget deficit, as scored by the CBO.
The Speaker’s website here has a bunch of summary documents that are quite useful. They detail a lot of the provisions and the time frame for their implementation. But, of course, bear in mind it’s Pelosi’s website so while it’s informative and it’s all true, it’s not politically neutral (there’s not much mention of the individual mandate for instance).
As far as your specific question, the provision about young people being able to stay on their parents’ insurance is until the age of 26 and at their parent’s choice, and the provision kicks in 6 months after enactment. If I remember correctly enactment was around March 23, so you’re looking at late September before that provision kicks in. Until 2014 that provision only applies to young people who are not offered coverage by an employer. It’s in the “immediate provisions” document on that website.
This is the PDF document that tells you all the provisions kicking in in the first year and the exact times they come into force.
Sorry, that doesn’t qualify as “answering the question.”
Thanks for all the answers, everyone. I’ll spend some time perusing the links and pdfs. We’re trying to ascertain what will happen for a youngster who’s currently off my plan, and wants to return. My health plan at work is keeping mum on their requirements until the dust settles, and I wanted to know what the law (in its current form) required.
Thanks again for your help.
As far as I understand it, if your kids don’t have any coverage offered by an employer then as of September 23rd this year they should be able to join your plan again until their 26th birthday. In 2014 they’ll be able to join your plan even if they do have coverage offered by an employer, although I’m guessing that might be a bit too late for you guys (as the bill stands at present, if your kids have any coverage offered by an employer whatsoever, they won’t be able to join your plan).
To add to GP’s remarks, the kids must be unmarried as well as under 26.
I thought Emergency Room access was already the law of the land…
?
You might also find the recent cover article in TIME to be of interest as a general outline: America’s New Prescription.
Fantasy. The fact is they can send you away and do. The rule is that if you are dangerously ill they have to stabilize you before they shoo you out the door. There are cases of hospital dumping. They take patients and dump them in a poor part of town after it appears they are going to cost the hospital money.
I’m sorry, but you lost me.
Either emergency care was mandatory, or it wasn’t. You state that they can send the patient away, then you state that they treat the patient first. You appear to be contradicting yourself. (I’m sure it’s me not reading between the lines.)
I don’t expect that a patient that can’t pay for medical care to get all the bells and whistles that a paying one can. They are going to do what the Hippocratic Oath requires for the non-paying patient, right?
No they do not have to treat emergencies. I read that if the land the hospital sits on is public land, then they do have to treat emergencies.
If they determine what constitutes an emergency , and they want to increase profits, they will send you away. You may think your kid was having an emergency. If they disagree, you were not.
Public hospitals can not refuse to stabilize an emergency patient. But private hospitals can just send you away.