Does Health Care Reform Have You Confused?
Thirteen months after the passage of what we now know as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or PPACA, the country is even more confused now more than ever of how PPACA affects employers and individuals in 2011 and beyond. Why not? With more than thirty three states filing legal suit vs. the federal government ( the current “score” is 2 to 2 thus far), the individual mandate is testing the constitutional rights we still have as U.S. citizens, the majority in the house changing parties at the mid term elections – equals defunding and stalled implementation, with employers stating that it’s “cheaper” to pay the fine $2,000 fine per employee in 2014 as compared offering health insurance to employees makes me remember the Dallas radio announcer tag line “I’m mad too Eddy!”
Don’t worry, be happy! Most of the health care reform provisions in 2010 and 2011 are enhancements to your current coverage. For most health plans on October 1st of 2010 health plans must offer the following:
- the lifetime maximum limit is increased to UNLIMITED
- no pre-existing condition limitations for child(ren) under the age of 19*
- dependent child(ren) are eligible on their parents plan up to the age of 26 regardless if they are in school or not
