Health Reform

One of the significant provisions in the health reform law that is being implemented in 2010 is an extension of dependent coverage to assure that all young adults have affordable health insurance. Many parents and their young adult children who worried about losing health insurance after their children moved away from home or graduated from college no longer need to worry.

35 states have created special programs (known as hgih-risk pools) for residents who are denied coverage by private insurers because of health-related issues. Have you had any experience with a high-risk health insurance pool?

Virtually all Americans will be affected in some way with the enactment of the health reform law (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) that President Obama signed into law on March 23, 2010. How do you think the new law will make a difference to you personally? See submissions

There are many people who can afford to buy health insurance but are turned down by insurance companies because they have a serious pre-existing condition such as cancer, diabetes, or an HIV infection. 35 states have created special programs (known as hgih-risk pools) for residents who are denied coverage by private insurers because of health-related issues.

Virtually all Americans will be affected in some way with the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which President Obama signed into law on March 23, 2010. The following timeline highlights some of the legislation’s specific provisions and an outline of when these requirements are scheduled to be implemented.

The health reform legislation (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) signed into law in March 2010 by President Obama creates state-based health insurance exchanges. The purpose of the health insurance exchanges is to make health insurance more affordable and easier to purchase for small business and individuals.

Many seniors are concerned that the new health reform legislation – the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law on March 23, 2010 by President Obama – will decrease their benefits or somehow weaken the program. For the most part, the changes will be beneficial for most seniors.

One of the more controversial parts of the health reform legislation is the issue of a health insurance mandate – the requirement that, starting in 2014, all Americans must have healthcare coverage. The vast majority of people in this country have health insurance through work or a public plan such as Medicare and Medicaid.

With the passage of health reform, many are concerned that adding more than 30 million newly insured people into our health system will make the shortage of primary care physicians (PCPs) worse. There will be many more patients and a lot fewer primary care physicians!

Almost every American will be affected in some way by health reform. How you are personally impacted will depend on the final details of the legislation signed into law and your age and employment status.

The American healthcare system is extremely complex and numerous attempts to reform the system over the years have met with considerable resistance. Most members of Congress and much of the general public seem to agree that our health system needs to be improved and that any reform needs to assure that all Americans have access to healthcare through appropriate health insurance coverage.

A number of health care benefits are mandated by either state law, federal law—or in some cases—both. Although mandates continue to be added as health insurance requirements, they are controversial and may impact health reform legislation.

During the past decade (2000 - 2009) there has been tremendous progress in medical care. Our research and technology continues to improve the quality of life for people with chronic illness. In spite of advances in medical care, many Americans (perhaps more than 40 to 50 million) have limited access to the best we have to offer. Perhaps the coming decade will reverse these trends.

If you are following the healthcare reform efforts here in the U.S., you may want to learn more about universal coverage and what it will mean for you and your family. Find out more about universal coverage.

Learn more about the healthcare provisions contained in the economic stimulus act, also known as the Amercian Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The federal government, has made it clear that your guaranteed Medicare benefits will not change because of the Affordable Care Act — whether you get them through Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan. And, there are no changes in eligibility requirements.

The Patient Bill of Rights establishes a new set of rules made possible by the Affordable Care Act, which will take effect for most health plans starting on or after September 23, 2010. These rules will remove barriers between you and your doctor and help provide the peace of mind that health insurance will be there when you need it the most.

Preventable medical errors kill and seriously injure hundreds of thousands of Americans every year. The Affordable Care Act has a number of provisions that may improve patient safety.

Stopping disease and illness before they start is better for doctors, patients, and our national balance sheet. That's why the Affordable Care Act prioritizes prevention, investing in the building blocks of a health-care rather than a sick-care system.

The purpose of the legislation is to assure that all Americans have access to affordable health insurance. The key reforms in the Affordable Care Act should significantly decrease barriers for obtaining health coverage as well as accessing needed health care services.

The Affordable Care Act contains several tax provisions that will take effect as different parts of the health reform legislation are implemented. The purchase and provision of health insurance is entwined with many people’s jobs and tax-related benefits. Because of this, almost all the new regulations involve the U.S. Department of Labor and the IRS.

Faced with the burdens of an aging population and low reimbursement for their services, many PCPs are leaving primary care or switching to concierge practices, a growing trend, also known as retainer, boutique, or direct medical practices.

The following letter was recently sent to more than 1500 patients who belong to an internal medicine practice in a northeastern state. The majority of the patients who received this letter are on Medicare and live in a community that has limited access to primary care physicians. The letter provides a good example of the issues surrounding concierge medical practices.

If you are a small employer that provides health care coverage to your employees and meet certain requirements you may qualify for a federal...

Because of the economic downturn and increasing health care costs many large American companies have stopped providing former employees with...

Many people who read newspaper articles, listen to the pundits, or get information about the Affordable Care Act from online resources may be confused by some of the jargon used to describe some of the act’s provisions.

It’s important to understand open enrollment and health reform. Several of the provisions of the health reform law that took effect on September 23, 2010 impact group health insurance. Your health plan (or the ones you are considering) will outline in their materials the changes required, as well as any changes to your benefits. It’s important...

The Affordable Care Act (the health reform legislation signed into law in March 2010) has already made some significant changes to your health insurance. The law is complicated and phases in many of the changes over time. This article compiles and answers 15 questions that are sent to me by readers of this site or have been posted in health...

It’s important to understand the changes made to flexible spending accounts (FSAs), health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), and health savings accounts (HSAs) because of the new health reform law.