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Thursday, September 9, 2010

Why September 23rd Is Important to You

Health care reform, officially called the Affordable Care Act, was signed into law by President Obama last March. But this September 23rd, it picks up steam.

Sec. Kathleen Sebelius

Six major provisions will be enacted to set reform on its way — and WebMD has created a way for you to get your questions answered right from the top, by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

We know there is a lot of controversy over this reform, and we also know there are a lot of questions. If you have one, ask it on our Health Care Reform page. We can’t promise all questions will be answered, but quite a few will, and they will shed some light on the six major provisions being enacted on that day.

  • There will be extended coverage for young adults, allowing them to stay on their parent’s plan until age 26.
  • New plans will now be obliged to offer free preventive care, such as mammograms and colonoscopies.
  • Insurance companies will no longer be able to take away your coverage if you get sick while under their insurance.
  • If you have an issue about a health insurance decision that’s been made about you, you will now have two different ways to appeal that decision.
  • If you get a new plan, insurance companies can no longer set lifetime limits on your coverage.
  • Insurance companies will also no longer be able to set annual coverage limits for group or individual plans.
  • Insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions.

For more in-depth information, check out our at-a-glance article, For even more information, visit our health reform page, read the articles, and ask YOUR question. You’ll get the best answer from the person who knows more about this reform than anyone, Secretary Sebelius.

Having the right answers is the best way to make right decisions when it becomes necessary.

We welcome you to join in the discussion.

Sean Swint
Executive Editor, WebMD

Posted by: Sean Swint at 9:31 pm

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