Healthcare Reform
New Insurance Finder Web Tool Released
On August 24, 2010, the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services announced the release of a new web tool, available
for download at HealthCare.gov, that will make it easier
to search for insurance coverage options. "By putting the
power of information at your fingertips, HealthCare.gov is helping
American families everywhere to take control over their health care and
make the choices that are right for them," said HHS Secretary Kathleen
Sebelius. For anyone seeking to understand the new benefits under
the Affordable Care Act, the website is an extremely valuable
resource.
The Insurance Finder widget enables anyone with a
website or blog to embed a tool on their site that allows users to
begin the process of searching for insurance coverage options. After
users answer two questions ("select a state" and "which best describes
you"), they click on "next steps" and are redirected to a page on
HealthCare.gov that continues the process. Based on their
answers to specific questions, the coverage finder provides a
personalized list of coverage choices.
Posted 8/25/10
New Insurance Appeals Regulations
On July 22, 2010, the White House announced new federal regulations to strengthen
patients’ rights to appeal health insurance denials. That same
day, the National Health Council released the following
statement from its president, Myrl Weinberg:
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People with chronic conditions make up the largest segment of users
of health care in this country. They require care and treatment that
will allow them to live the healthiest, most productive lives possible.
It is essential that they be able to obtain and retain coverage and care
that meet their individual health care needs. |
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The steps taken today by the Obama Administration will provide
patients with an understandable, predictable internal and external
appeals process. It’s the right thing to do. It's a fair solution
for patients—particularly those living with chronic diseases and
disabilities. |
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We are also pleased that $30 million has been allocated for
strengthening state-based consumer assistance offices. This is a
critical step to improving patient awareness of their rights. |
Posted August 16, 2010
HHS Secretary Sebelius Announces Pre-Existing Condition Insurance
Plan
On July 1, 2010, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary
Kathleen Sebelius announced the establishment of a new Pre-Existing
Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP). The plan will make temporary
coverage available to Americans who have been uninsured for at
least six months and who are unable to obtain health coverage because of
a pre-existing health condition. The PCIP will be in effect now
through 2014, when the new health insurance exchanges are
established. Twenty-nine states plus the District of Columbia have
decided to administer the plan themselves, and twenty-one states elected
to have HHS administer their plans.
Read the full text of the HHS press release and learn about the status of
PCIP in your own state.
Visit HealthCare.gov for an informational pamphlet on the PCIP. If you
live in a state where HHS is running the PCIP, you can link
directly to the federal application page. If you live in a state that is
running its own program, you will find information on how and
where to apply.
Posted July 5, 2010
The New Healthcare Reform Law
Read blogs by CHADD CEO E. Clarke Ross that review the new law:
 Young Adults Now Have Health Insurance
Coverage (June 8, 2010)
Health Reform: Enactment Status of CHADD's 13
Principles (March 31, 2010)
Health Exchanges: What Are They? (January 13,
2010)
Added June 22, 2010
Meaningful Healthcare Reform: New Resources
As the debate
surrounding healthcare reform continues, CHADD has assembled the
following set of resources for members to use in advocating for
meaningful healthcare reform.
As the starting point for evaluating any healthcare proposal, CHADD has
supported these Thirteen Principles for Healthcare
Reform:
CHADD supports:
- A healthcare initiative that
provides healthcare coverage for all Americans.
- Healthcare plans that require
“parity” for mental health assessment and treatment. This
includes non-discrimination between health conditions.
- Healthcare plans must not
discriminate on the basis of pre-existing conditions or health
status.
- Healthcare plans must not
terminate coverage when people become seriously ill or are being treated
for long-term chronic conditions and must not have lifetime
caps.
- Health plans must not be
allowed to charge exorbitant out-of-pocket deductibles and
co-pays.
- A healthcare initiative that
allows young adults to stay covered on their parents’ plan until
the age of 26.
- A healthcare initiative that
specifically covers young adults, with a particular focus on young
adults with special healthcare needs.
- A healthcare initiative that
specifically covers the assessment and treatment of children,
particularly those children with special healthcare needs.
- A healthcare initiative that
requires continued affordable coverage when one loses or changes
jobs.
- A healthcare initiative that
includes wellness and prevention services.
- A healthcare initiative that
emphasizes integrated primary healthcare with specialty services,
including promotion of the medical home concept. This also includes
consumer-oriented and “meaningful” use of electronic medical
records and personal health records.
- A healthcare initiative that
allows all citizens a choice of health plans.
- A healthcare initiative that
requires health plans to include culturally and linguistically
appropriate programs and affirmative provisions dealing with racial and
ethnic disparities. This includes recognition of disability-based health
disparities.
Congress
In the Senate and the House of
Representatives, the following Committees have jurisdiction over various
aspects of healthcare reform.
The Senate Health, Education,
Labor and Pensions Committee and the Senate Finance
Committee. The Senate HELP Committee completed its work on the
Affordable Health Choices Act, and voted the bill out of
committee by a 13-10 vote on July 31, 2009. The
Senate Finance Committee began mark-up of its version of
the bill on September 22, 2009, and voted the bill out of
committee. The Senate Finance Committee released the legislative
language of the America's Healthy Future Act on October 19,
2009, and the Committee report on October 22, 2009.
The three committees of
jurisdiction in the House of Representatives—the Committee on
Energy and Commerce, Education and
Labor, and Ways and
Means—have all completed work before recess on their
respective portions of the House tri-committee bill, HR 3200, America’s Affordable Health
Choices Act. The tri-committee merged bill, HR
3962, Affordable Health Care for America Act was debated by the full House of Representatives on
November 7, 2009. The House voted to approve the bill by a vote of
220-215.
Updated November 8, 2009
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
The U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services (DHHS) and the White House
Office of Health Reform have jointly launched a
website. The DHHS Office of Disability has released a two-page document specifically addressing how
healthcare reform will impact people with disabilities.
White House
The White
House has developed a new website, Health
Insurance Reform Reality Check where White House officials
debunk various myths that have circulated in the media
recently.
Nonprofit Organizations
The Kaiser Family
Foundation has developed an interactive portal that compares the healthcare
reform proposals side by side.
Updated November 8, 2009
CHADD's Support for Healthcare Reform Initiatives
CHADD’s public policy department
is partnering with numerous coalitions to ensure that healthcare reform
continues to be a top priority for President Barack Obama and the 111th
Congress. CHADD has signed the following letters to show its support for
the following aspects of healthcare reform:
Consumer Partnership for E-Health,
Health IT, January 26, 2009, click here.
State Children's Insurance Program (SCHIP), January 27,
2009, click here.
National Health Council, Comparative Effectiveness Research, January
27, 2009, click here.
Addressing Health Disparities in Health IT,
February 3, 2009, click here.
Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities,
Moratoria on Medicaid Regulations, February 24, 2009,
click here.
Mental Health Liaison Group, Healthcare Reform, May 12,
2009, click here.
Consumer Partnership for E-Health, Meaningful Use of Health
IT, May 22, 2009, click here.
National Health Council, Campaign to Put Patients First, Ad in Politico,
June 3, 2009, click here.
Consumer Partnership for E-Health, Meaningful Use of Health IT,
June 26, 2009, click here.
Request to Create Independent Commission to Oversee Design of
Benefits Package, July 13, 2009 , click here.
Congressional TriCaucus, Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2009,
July 7, 2009, click here.
Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, Patient-Centered Outcomes
Research Act of 2009, July 9, 2009, click here.
Coalition for Whole Health, Healthcare Reform, August 4, 2009,
click here.
Data Collection on Healthcare Disparities, Letter to President Obama,
September 8, 2009, click here.
Creating a Healthcare Benefits Coalition, Letter to Senator Kerry,
September 18, 2009, click here.
National Health Council, Campaign to Put Patients First, click here.
Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities,
Affordable Health Care for
America Act (HR
3962), November 4, 2009, click here.
Campaign for Mental Health
Reform, Affordable Health
Care for America Act (HR 3962), November 4, 2009, click here.
Mental Health Liasion Group, Affordable Health Care for America Act (HR 3962),
November 4, 2009, click here.
Updated November 8, 2009
Healthcare Reform Should be Top Priority in 2009
Over 100 national organizations, including
CHADD, sent a letter to President-Elect Barack Obama and key members of
the new Congress requesting that they make healthcare reform a top
priority in the new Congressional session. The organizations that signed
on in support of the letter requested that President-Elect Obama and
members of Congress convene a healthcare summit as the first step for
reforming the healthcare system. The letter can be viewed here.
Posted November 19, 2008
Mental Healthcare is Integral to Healthcare Reform
The Campaign for
Mental Health Reform, a coalition of 18 national organizations,
works to provide recommendations regarding the development and
implementation of mental health policy that are consistent with the
goals of the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental
Health, the Institute
of Medicine, and the U.S. Surgeon General.
On Septemer 10, 2008, the Campaign released an updated set of
principles, Inclusion of Mental Healthcare in Overall Healthcare
Reform, to guide its work in the new Congressional session. The
principles recognize that mental healthcare is an integral component of
any healthcare reform effort. The document can be accessed here.
Posted September 15, 2008
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