Whether you’re for or against the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, there are certain perks to the provision that many people can already use today without having to wait until 2014.
Keeping children covered.
Before, many insurance companies would remove children from a parent’s plan the minute they turned 18. Since most children at that age start college and are not yet working full time, it’s hard for them to find and pay for their own private insurance. With Obamacare, all children are allowed to stay on a parent’s insurance plan until they’re 26. This allows children to finish college and get their own job before having to find their own insurance, and this is a benefit to many young adults seeking to further their education.
Insuring children with pre-existing conditions.
Unfortunately many young children suffer from pre-existing conditions, and many insurance companies use these pre-existing conditions as a reason not to cover the child. Now, though, insurance companies cannot refuse a child with a pre-existing condition, so no matter what illness or disease your child may have, they will be covered. Also, starting in 2014, every American, not just children, will be able to be covered with insurance even if they have a pre-existing condition.
Paying customers back.
Doesn’t it make you sick to know that you’re paying an extremely expensive amount of money insuring yourself and your family to have your insurance company only cover a small portion of your medical costs? Not anymore. Right now, insurance companies must legally spend 80-85% of your premium on your medical costs. If they don’t, the insurance company is forced to send you a rebate for the money that was not used. This is a great perk for those individuals or families that don’t see their doctor very often.
Free preventative care.
Right now, if you need to have a mammogram or colonoscopy performed, it will be done at no cost to you. Insurance companies must pay for 100% of all mammography and colonoscopy related costs and are not allowed to charge their clients any out of pocket expenses for these services. Since these services are two of the most popular forms of preventative care in men and women, it’s a great way to ensure that everyone is checked annually for serious illnesses.
Plenty of free perks for women.
Right now, women are receiving plenty of free perks from their insurance companies. All insurance companies are now required to provide free annual physicals, gestational diabetes screenings, domestic violence screening and treatment, STD counseling and treatment, HIV counseling and testing, HPV testing, and breastfeeding support all for free. They are not allowed to charge women any out of pocket expenses for these services.
Insurance companies are also required to provide contraceptive products for free too as long as they are FDA approved or unless the employer is part of a religious organization.
Even if you will not be switching to Obamacare when it becomes effective in 2014, know that there are certain perks you can receive right now because of the provision.
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’][/author_image] [author_info]Caleb Grant is a business manager and professional reviews tracker. He teaches others about reputation management and tips for doctor review tracking via blogging.[/author_info] [/author]
