www.deafchildren.org
The Affordable Care Act: What It Means for Individuals with Disabilities can no longer deny or exclude coverage By now, you have to anyone based on probably heard a pre-existing condiabout the Supreme tion. Furthermore, Court’s highly anticinsurers will not be ipated ruling on allowed to charge President Obama’s higher premiums health care reform for these individuals legislation, the to get coverage. Affordable Care Act. This is perhaps Much discussion the most signifihas focused on what this ruling means cant change impacting individuals with for the general public; however, little disabilities, especially those who have attention has been devoted to what previously been denied private health it means for people with disabilities. insurance coverage. Starting in 2014, Below is a summary of the act and how if you can afford private health insurit affects individuals with special needs. ance, you can get private health insurance. No Pre-Existing Condition Exclusions To bridge the period between now Currently, insurance policies cannot and 2014 when the law takes effect, deny or exclude coverage to any child the federal government has set up the under age 19 based on a pre-existing Pre-Existing Insurance Plan to provide condition. This means that children on coverage for eligible citizens who have a parent’s policy must be granted cover- been uninsured for 6 months due to a age. pre-existing condition. For more inforIf you have health coverage through mation on this program, visit www. your employer, the plan is allowed to pcip.gov. exclude coverage temporarily for preexisting conditions, including disabili- No Lifetime or Annual Limits ties, usually for no more than one year on Coverage and waiting periods for coverage of preUnder the ACA, starting in 2014, existing conditions starting in 2014 insurance policies can no longer impose will be limited to 90 days. lifetime or annual dollar limits on coverage. Previously, once you hit your maxiPre-Existing Conditions in 2014 mum benefit amount, you would have Starting in 2014, insurance policies to pay for all medical services out of By Melissa Stuart
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