What Is The New Healthcare Act?
New legislation is passed on regular basis and health care reform was a hot item…
New legislation is passed on regular basis and health care reform was a hot item one year ago. Many people are still wondering what is the new healthcare act and how it relates to them. By learning the basics of this law, U.S. citizens can take advantage of the benefits and better manage their personal health care. It is important for each one of us to take an active role in our health so that we can live longer, healthier lives.
The Affordable Care Act was voted into law on March 23, 2010. In the one year since implementation, this act has improved health care for small businesses, seniors, women, young adults, seniors, and the rest of the population. Businesses now benefit from tax credits, while seniors are entitled to new wellness exams and discounts on prescription drugs. Young adults can now remain insured under a parent’s plan until they are 26.
One goal of the act was to reduce the level of interference exercised by insurance companies. It puts consumers back in the driver’s seat when it comes to health care and coverage. Businesses and families 5 Healthy Habits once again have the flexibility and stability to make health care-related choices that work best for them. Benefits under the legislation phase in gradually over time, with some of them already in effect.
A Patient’s Bill of Rights is part of the act, ensuring that children, and ultimately, all Americans, can gain and keep coverage, regardless of pre-existing conditions. It protects the individual right to select a doctor and it ends lifetime maximums on care received. Consumers also have easier access to emergency services, without higher coinsurance or copayments for out of network emergency care. Protections under this Bill of Rights apply to nearly all U.S. health insurance plans.
States now have the opportunity to create new health insurance marketplaces, or exchanges. Individual consumers, the self-employed, and small businesses can combine their bargaining power, requiring insurers to compete for their business. Exchanges will become powerful consumer and small business advocates, requiring insurers to lower costs and improve patient health.
This is just a brief answer to the question, “What is the new healthcare act?” There is much more to this powerful legislation, with additional provisions being rolled out Medical Breakthroughs 2019 gradually over the next few years. American consumers are now wielding more power when it comes to their health care coverage, with the goal of forming a healthier nation.