White House Releases Information About Youth Health Initiative
To help celebrate the one-year anniversary of health care reform, the White House has issued information regarding its youth health initiative known as “Better Benefits, Better Health.” The initiative focuses on the aspect of health reform allowing young adults to remain on parents’ policies and is asking these adult children to learn more about health insurance opportunities available to them.
Health Care Reform Reaches 1-Year Anniversary
After health care reform was signed into law on March 23, 2010, a number of adjustments to health insurance were set to take effect. One was allowing young adults to remain on their parents’ policies until the age of 26, instead of 19 as in the past, which took effect on Sept. 23, 2010.
The law applies to individuals who are married, living with parents, in school or financially independent and, according to the White House announcement, can help nearly 1.2 million young Americans acquire coverage this year.
Administration Asks the Youth to Learn Insurance Rights
As a part of the initiative, the government says it wants to help individuals understand their health insurance coverage rights, as well as some benefits associated with the new law, including:
- No co-pays or deductibles for preventative services: Insurance companies can no longer charge a deductible or copay for recommended preventative services, like flu shots or other immunizations.
- No lifetime dollar caps: Insurance companies cannot cap the dollar amount of care received in a lifetime or drop coverage due to a mistake on a policyholder’s application if they get sick.
- Pre-existing conditions can’t be denied: Most health insurance plans can’t deny coverage to children under the age of 19 due to pre-existing conditions.
The initiative also wants to remind young adults with pre-existing conditions that they may be able to join the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan.
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