In 2010, the United State Congress and President Barack Obama passed a new healthcare law called the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act, which is sometimes referred to as the Affordable Health Care for America Act. Under the new law, people have the freedom and flexibility of complete control over their insurance coverage. The law also makes insurance providers more accountable, in regards to the amount charged for premiums, how your money is spent, and requiring them to publicly justify any premium rate increases.
When the Affordable Health Care for America Act was first passed, it created confusion between insurance companies and people. At that time, people knew they had to have coverage by January 1st, 2014, but did not know how they were going to be able to pay for the mandatory coverage. However, as there is now more knowledge and resources available about the reforms, understanding the changes and how they are going to impact you has become easier to comprehend.
Some key features of the reforms include:
- Tax incentives and subsidies to offset premium costs
- Fines required on employers not offering affordable employer-sponsored plans
- Ending pre-existing conditions in children
- Eliminating lifetime coverage limits
- Fully covering preventive care, with no out-of-pocket expense or copayments
- Enabling people to choose their own doctors
- Removing restrictions for emergency services previously imposed by insurance companies
Here at Coverage California, we provide access to additional information, to help you become better educated about your options and insurance choices. We also offer direct access to the California Health Insurance Exchange, where you are able to easily compare your coverage options between insurance companies and federally sponsored plans. Further, we are able to answer any of your questions or concerns, and supply you with an estimate of your premium costs, as well as help you obtain the required coverage.