Weight Management for Professionals & Dieters

Health Care Reform: Why Today Is Important

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Love it or hate it, six months ago today the Health Care Reform Bill was signed into law.  Today, September 23, 2010, “a new day for healthcare consumers,” according to the US government, a few of the rights, benefits, and protections under the Affordable Care Act take effect.

Understanding your health care rights and those afforded to your patients is an important part of comprehensive medical and health treatment.  The following rights and provisions take effect today:

Insurers will no longer be able to:

• Deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions.
• Put lifetime limits on benefits.
• Cancel your policy without proving fraud.
• Deny claims without a chance for appeal.

Consumers in new health plans will be able to:

• Receive cost-free preventative services: As a weight loss provider, this new provision could have the biggest impact for your business. Individuals on plans subject to this requirement can receive, depending on age, FREE access to counseling from health care providers on wellness topics including losing weight and eating healthfully, without having to pay a copayment, co-insurance, or deductible.
• Keep young adults on a parent’s plan until age 26.
• Choose a primary care doctor, ob/gyn, and pediatrician.
• Use the nearest emergency room without penalty.

Some of these changes may be rights you’ve always assumed that you had, but now under the Health Care Reform Bill they are rights you are entitled to.

For more information on any of the provisions listed above, the Affordable Care Act, and the Health Care Reform Bill visit: http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/overview.html