THE NATIONAL HEALTH COUNCIL
When Patients Share Their Stories, Health May Impr...Great article on the power of patients telling and listening to personal narratives....
Great article on the power of patients telling and listening to personal narratives. Article was featured in the February 10, 2011, New York Times by Dr. Pauline W. Chen.View Thread
Thanks for your Reply!
THE NATIONAL HEALTH COUNCIL
FAQ on Health Reform LawDo you have questions about the new health care reform law? Check out the frequently...
Do you have questions about the new health care reform law? Check out the frequently asked questions (FAQs) section of the Kaiser Family Foundation's Health Reform Source, which provides answers to common questions about the health reform law. You can search for questions or submit a new question if yours is not addressed. Check it out today!View Thread
Thanks for your Reply!
THE NATIONAL HEALTH COUNCIL
Putting Patients FirstThis month, changes in federal health insurance law bring us closer to a health care...
This month, changes in federal health insurance law bring us closer to a health care system that Puts Patients First . The changes do the following:
· Allow young people under 26 to remain on a parent's family policy.
· Stop insurance companies from imposing pre-existing condition exclusions on children under 19.
· Ban insurers from setting lifetime limits on coverage.
· Restrict use of annual limits on coverage.
· Provide preventive care without charging a deductible or co-pay.
· Remove barriers to emergency department services.
But this is only the beginning. More changes are in store. Here's a website that lays out a health care reform timeline in a very easy-to-read fashion — http://www.kff.org/healthreform/8060.cfm . I encourage you to visit the site. I encourage you to talk to your insurance company about these changes. I hope you will continue to share your thoughts with the National Health Council, either on this site or our website — www.nationalhealthcouncil.org . Together, we can develop a health care system that works for all.
To your good health.
MyrlView Thread
Thanks for your Reply!
THE NATIONAL HEALTH COUNCIL
Reply: Putting Patients FirstUnder the Affordable Care Act many insurance providers are now required to offer...
Under the Affordable Care Act many insurance providers are now required to offer preventive services, including colonoscopies for adults over 50, without charging a co-pay or deductible. To see a list of preventive services that are covered under these new regulations, you can visit the following website: http://www.healthcare.gov/law/about/provisions/services/lists.html
I would suggest that you contact your insurance company directly to determine if it applies to your plan and to ask any further questions about meeting your deductible and coverage for services.
Thanks for the reply,
View Thread
Thanks for your Reply!
THE NATIONAL HEALTH COUNCIL
Access to Care " My wife has been battling health issues for the past 10 years: fibromyalgia,...
"My wife has been battling health issues for the past 10 years: fibromyalgia, Anemia, CFS, Epstein-Barr and most recently Crohn's Disease. With no medical insurance, we cannot afford the care my wife needs to feel well and operate on a daily basis." Messages, like this one from Anthony, frequently come to the National Health Council. The federal government implemented new laws last week that will make it easier for people with chronic diseases and disabilities to get needed coverage. Some changes happen now, some won't kick in for several months. But we need to be vigilant to give all patients with chronic conditions the same access to health care coverage. In the meantime, we need to keep sharing our stories and learning from each other. As the poet John Muir wrote, "The power of imagination makes us infinite." I say, it's the power of collective thought that will make us invincible.
MyrlView Thread
Thanks for your Reply!
THE NATIONAL HEALTH COUNCIL
Do You Have an Annual Limit on Coverage?
Earlier this week I wrote about a change in federal law that would ban insurance...
Earlier this week I wrote about a change in federal law that would ban insurance companies from placing a lifetime limit on services when issuing a new policy. Another change in federal law going into effect this week restricts the use of annual limits on how much care is covered by an insurance policy — but this change applies only to certain types of policies. Does your health insurance policy have an annual limit? We'd like to know.View Thread
Take the Poll
Does your insurance policy have a dollar limit on how much health care it will pay for in a given year? (Any health care expenses above that amount would be paid for out of your own pocket.)
Poll Results
Does your insurance policy have a dollar limit on how much health care it will pay for in a given year? (Any health care expenses above that amount would be paid for out of your own pocket.)
Back to Poll
Thanks for your Reply!
THE NATIONAL HEALTH COUNCIL
A Lifetime of CoverageCan you remember what it was like before you received your diagnosis? When I give a...
Can you remember what it was like before you received your diagnosis? When I give a public speech, I frequently explain the difference between a consumer and a patient. Consumers go in and out of the health care system. Patients with chronic conditions rely on the health care system for the rest of their lives.
Roughly 44% of all Americans have a chronic condition; more than half of the 133 million with chronic diseases and disabilities have two or more chronic conditions. Just think about our community on this site. For example, cyndisparkle wrote about having fibromyalgia, arthritis, and Addison's disease. Under most insurance policies, there is a limit to how much care a health plan will pay for. The out-of-pocket costs of caring for a person with one or more chronic conditions can bankrupt a family.
Under new regulations that go into effect on September 23, insurers will no longer be allowed to set lifetime limits on coverage under new policies. Will this new law affect you? Contact your insurance company to find out. If you are looking for insurance options, here's a government website that might be of help: http://finder.healthcare.gov/ .
To better health.
MyrlView Thread
Thanks for your Reply!
THE NATIONAL HEALTH COUNCIL
Thanks for your Reply!
THE NATIONAL HEALTH COUNCIL
Reply: routine examTrying to get coverage for a pre-existing condition is one of the toughest hurdles. ...
Trying to get coverage for a pre-existing condition is one of the toughest hurdles.
The change in federal law to prohibit insurance companies from refusing to sell coverage or renew policies because of an adult's pre-existing condition won't kick in until 2014. To help people between now and then, the federal government has created a new federal Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan -- http://www.healthcare.gov/law/provisions/preexisting/index.html .
Federal law as of Sept. 23 will require all new and renewed plans to cover certain preventive services without charging a deductible or co-pay. A list of covered services can be found on the web at http://www.healthcare.gov/law/about/provisions/services/lists.htm .
I am not able to provide you with personal insurance advice, so I recommend you contact your insurance company or state office of insurance regulation for assistance. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners website has an interactive map where you can find information about your state -- http://www.naic.org/state_web_map.htm tm.
Best of luck.
MyrlView Thread
Thanks for your Reply!
THE NATIONAL HEALTH COUNCIL
New Pre-Existing Condition Insurance PlanAs you know, next week insurance companies will no longer be allowed to exclude...
As you know, next week insurance companies will no longer be allowed to exclude people under the age of 19 with a pre-existing condition from receiving health care coverage. If you are a parent of a child with a chronic condition, contact your insurance company today to find out more information.
However, if you do not currently have insurance this resource shows a state-by-state interactive map with information on Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plans. Check it out today! It might help you find a policy right for you and your family.View Thread
Thanks for your Reply!
