How Will Current HC Bill Help Me?

[DanBlather]

First, I support UHC and don’t want to have a debate here. I’m too lazy to read the bill that passed the House. How will it affect me? I’m over 50, work part-time with no benefits, and have private health insurance of about $600 a month.

[jasg]

This LA Times article answered a few of my questions.

Don’t forget that there are still 3 more time that Health Care must be voted on by our congress critters. (I still miss Pogo)

[Measure_for_Measure]

Under the status quo, employer provided insurance has tighter regulation than individual plans.

For example, individual plans are subject to recission: if you have any inaccuracy in your original application, they can drop you whenever they feel like it in certain states. Typically they feel like it before major surgery. Here’s a report of a woman denied breast cancer surgery because she had been treated for acne in the past. So if you like paying premiums but hate hospitals, the status quo is for you!

Technical analysis, from the second link:

@James Kwak

The legal basis for rescission is that when you sign an insurance application, you are warranting that the information on the application is true; if it turns out not to be true, the insurer can get out of your insurance contract. It’s particularly nasty in practice because the insurer does not immediately investigate your application to determine if it is accurate before selling you the policy (that would be impractically expensive); instead, the insurer waits – years, in many cases – until you actually need expensive health care, and then does the investigation, which at that point is worth it because of the payments the insurer could potentially avoid. Also, you can lose your coverage for innocent mistakes, which are easy to make since the application form asks you if you have ever seen a doctor for any one of a long list of medical conditions that you are certain not to recognize or understand. (In a Congressional hearing, the CEO of a health insurer admitted that he did not know what several of the conditions listed on his company’s application were.)

[flurb]

@Measure_for_Measure

Under the status quo, employer provided insurance has tighter regulation than individual plans.

For example, individual plans are subject to recission: if you have any inaccuracy in your original application, they can drop you whenever they feel like it in certain states. Typically they feel like it before major surgery. Here’s a report of a woman denied breast cancer surgery because she had been treated for acne in the past. So if you like paying premiums but hate hospitals, the status quo is for you!

Technical analysis, from the second link:

And what would the House bill do to change this?

[Athena]

@flurb

And what would the House bill do to change this?

Under the house bill, insurers can’t deny coverage or increase premium payments because of pre-existing conditions. I can’t find anything specifically dealing with rescission, but I believe it’s covered under the “can’t deny coverage because of pre-existing conditions” clause.

[muttrox]

@DanBlather

First, I support UHC and don’t want to have a debate here. I’m too lazy to read the bill that passed the House. How will it affect me? I’m over 50, work part-time with no benefits, and have private health insurance of about $600 a month.

Any flavor of the Democratic health reform bills will improve the finances of the US Government over the long term. That will produce benefits for all citizens including yourself.