PNHP

Pre-Existing Condition Insurance – only a glimmer

Covering People with Pre-Exisiting Conditions: Report on the Implementation and Operation of the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan Program

CMS
February 23, 2012

Before the Affordable Care Act, Americans with pre-existing conditions who did not receive health coverage through their employers had few affordable options to get the care they needed. In most States, insurance companies could refuse to sell them coverage, charge exorbitant premiums, or offer them coverage that excluded benefits for their health conditions.

The law ends discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions.

As a bridge to 2014, when these protections apply to all Americans, the law created a new program designed to help the tens of thousands of Americans who have been locked out of the insurance market due to their health conditions. The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan or PCIP is a temporary high-risk health insurance program that makes health coverage available and more affordable immediately to individuals who are uninsured and have been denied health insurance by insurance companies because of a pre-existing condition. Twenty-seven States are operating their own program, often in coordination with existing State High Risk Pools, and 23 States and the District of Columbia have opted to have a Federally-operated program.

The PCIP program will continue to provide affordable coverage to consumers who are enrolled and will facilitate their transition to Affordable Insurance Exchanges in 2014.

Enrollment as of December 31, 2011: 48,879

http://www.cciio.cms.gov/resources/files/Files2/02242012/pcip-annual-report.pdf

Comment:

By Don McCanne, MD

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), 48,879 previously uninsurable people with serious medical problems are receiving essential health care services under the pre-exisiting condition insurance program. We can’t celebrate this gain because far too many people are still left out. It is a mere glimmer that doesn’t light our path to reform. But temporarily we should accept what limited benefits ACA does provide, instead of trying to repeal it, while we work on a program that actually is going to take care of everyone – an improved Medicare for all.

Pre-Existing Condition Insurance – only a glimmer

Covering People with Pre-Exisiting Conditions: Report on the Implementation and Operation of the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan Program

CMS
February 23, 2012
Before the Affordable Care Act, Americans with pre-existing conditions who did not receive health coverage through their employers had few affordable options to get the care they needed. In most States, insurance companies could refuse to sell them coverage, charge exorbitant premiums, or offer them coverage that excluded benefits for their health conditions.
The law ends discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions.
As a bridge to 2014, when these protections apply to all Americans, the law created a new program designed to help the tens of thousands of Americans who have been locked out of the insurance market due to their health conditions. The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan or PCIP is a temporary high-risk health insurance program that makes health coverage available and more affordable immediately to individuals who are uninsured and have been denied health insurance by insurance companies because of a pre-existing condition. Twenty-seven States are operating their own program, often in coordination with existing State High Risk Pools, and 23 States and the District of Columbia have opted to have a Federally-operated program.
The PCIP program will continue to provide affordable coverage to consumers who are enrolled and will facilitate their transition to Affordable Insurance Exchanges in 2014.
Enrollment as of December 31, 2011: 48,879
http://www.cciio.cms.gov/resources/files/Files2/02242012/pcip-annual-report.pdf

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), 48,879 previously uninsurable people with serious medical problems are receiving essential health care services under the pre-exisiting condition insurance program. We can’t celebrate this gain because far too many people are still left out. It is a mere glimmer that doesn’t light our path to reform. But temporarily we should accept what limited benefits ACA does provide, instead of trying to repeal it, while we work on a program that actually is going to take care of everyone – an improved Medicare for all.