Human Resources: Health Insurance Reform Schedule

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) July 27, 2010

This health insurance reform schedule is the official announced schedule from Easy To Insure ME to help citizens understand the future of health insurance in the United States.

Health Insurance Reform Schedule

2010
New programs:

Temporary retiree reinsurance program.
National risk pool, small business tax credit.
$250 rebate for Medicare members who reach the “doughnut hole”.

Health Insurance Reforms:

No lifetime benefit limits based on dollar amounts.
Allowed restricted yearly limits on the dollar value of certain benefits.
No coverage rescissions/cancellations (except for fraud or internal misrepresentation).
No cost-sharing obligations for preventive services.
Must have dependent coverage up to age 26.
New internal and external appeal process.
No pre-existing condition exclusions for dependent children (under 19 years of age).
New health plan disclosure and transparency requirements.

2011
Insurance Reforms:

New uniform coverage documents and standard definitions are developed.
Must have minimum medical loss ratios.

Medicare Reforms:

Start of Medicare Advantage cost-sharing limits.
Medicare beneficiaries who reach the doughnut hole to get a 50% discount on brand name drugs.
Primary care doctors and general surgeons practicing in underserved areas, such as inner city and rural communities to get a 10% bonus.
Medicare Advantage plans begin having payments frozen.

Other:

Yearly fee for brand-name drug manufacturers.
Start of voluntary long-term care insurance program giving a cash benefit to help those with disabilities stay in their homes or pay nursing home cost: benefit starts 5 years after paying coverage fee.
Increased funding for community health centers to provide care for many low-income and uninsured people.

2012

Hospitals, doctors and payers encouraged to join forces in “accountable care organizations”.
Hospitals with high rates of preventable readmissions facing reduced Medicare payments.

2013

Individuals making $200,000 a year or couples making $250,000 would have a higher Medicare payroll tax of 2.35% on earned income – up from the current 1.45%. A new 3.8% tax on unearned income, such as dividends and interest, also added.
Contributions to flexible spending accounts (FSAs) limited to $2,500 a year – indexed for inflation. And the threshold for deducting medical expenses on taxes goes from 7.5% to 10% income.
Medical device manufacturers have a 2.9% sales tax on medical devices; with exemptions for some, like eyeglasses, contact lens, and hearing aids.
No more deduction for expenses allocable to Medicare Part D subsidy for employers who maintain prescription drug plans for their Medicare Part D-eligible retirees.

2014
Coverage Mandates & Subsidies:

New Individual and employer coverage responsibilities.
New Individual affordability tax credit and expanded small business tax credits.

Health Insurance Quotes Exchange & Insurance Reforms:

State individual and small group health insurance exchanges operational.
Guaranteed issue, guaranteed renewability, modified community rating and minimum benefit standards (“essential benefits” plan) effective.
No more lifetime and yearly dollar limits for essential benefits.
New taxes on health insurers.

2018

New tax (“Cadillac tax”) on employer-sponsored health plans that offer policies with generous coverage levels.

2020

Doughnut hole coverage gap in Medicare prescription benefits is fully phased out. Seniors continue to pay the standard 25% of their drug costs until they reach the threshold for Medicare catastrophic coverage.

The mission of Easy To Insure ME is to help Americans find affordable health insurance in the easiest way possible. Licensed advisors do this by shopping all carriers available to the client and picking out four plans that will provide the best benefits at the lowest cost to the consumer. Then an easy to read side by side recommendation of these plans is sent through email to make the process as simplified as possible.

Easy To Insure ME is not a lead generation website. Real licensed professionals are here to help clients make knowledgeable and affordable individual health insurance decisions. An advisor can be reached at 866-492-3905. "Nobody does what we do for our clients." http://www.easytoinsureme.com/