So many people ask "so what's it mean to me?" Now we can let them know.
It will take four years to fully implement these reforms in a responsible way, but a host of desperately-needed reforms and consumer protections will take effect this year.
• This year, children with pre-existing conditions can no longer be denied health insurance coverage.
• This year, health care plans will allow young people to remain on their parents' insurance policy up until their 26th birthday.
• This year, insurance companies will be banned from dropping people from coverage when they get sick, and they will be banned from implementing lifetime caps on coverage.
• This year, adults who are uninsured because of pre-existing conditions will have access to affordable insurance through a temporary subsidized high-risk pool.
• This year, small businesses that choose to offer coverage will begin to receive tax credits of up to 35 percent of premiums to help make employee coverage more affordable.
• This year, new private plans will be required to provide free preventive care: no co-payments and no deductibles for preventive services.
• This year, early retirees will have help in the form of a temporary re-insurance program to help offset the costs of expensive premiums for employers and retirees age 55-64.
• This year, seniors who fall into the Medicare Part D 'donut hole' will receive a $250 rebate to help pay for prescription drugs.
To find out how you can be more involved with the Town of Poughkeepsie Democratic Committee. Send a note to Gary Levine at glevine@hvc.rr.com
