Rule May Let Workers Keep Health Coverage
By JOHN HEILPRIN, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - For U.S. workers who change or lose their jobs, a new
rule issued by the Bush administration just before the end of 2004
could provide better access to group health plan coverage � in keeping
with changes Congress agreed to eight years ago.
The new rule, which becomes effective for health care plans starting
July 1, is meant to implement more of the 1996 Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act by making it easier to obtain group
health coverage.
It limits when pre-existing medical conditions can be excluded from
coverage and requires group health plans and group health insurance
issuers to offer "special enrollment" in certain cases.
The law, pushed through Congress by President Clinton (news - web
sites), was intended to guarantee access to health insurance for small
businesses with 50 or fewer employees, and to require that insurers
renew coverage for a person or group regardless of the health status
of any member of the group.
"In an era when American workers often change jobs, and even careers,
several times in the course of their lives, it is important that they
are able to respond to the modern workplace without having to fear for
their health insurance," Health and Human Services (news - web sites)
Secretary Tommy Thompson said this week.
Three federal agencies jointly issued the new rule based on the 1996
law. Bush administration officials said their rule "does not
significantly modify the framework" the Clinton administration issued
in April 1997 for implementing this part of the law.
Yet it took another 7 1/2 years for the rule to be made final.
"We have listened to public comment and worked to craft a rule that
will provide maximum protection for consumers, while minimizing the
burden on health plans," said Medicare chief Mark McClellan.
When Clinton signed the law, his administration said it would affect
about one in 10 U.S. workers � then an estimated 25 million Americans
� and their families. Those were workers switching jobs, self-employed
or with pre-existing medical conditions. The law was sponsored by Sen.
Edward Kennedy (news, bio, voting record), D-Mass., and former Kansas
Republican Sen. Nancy Kassebaum Baker.
The Bush administration changed the health insurance rule "to bolster
... consumer protections while minimizing the burdens imposed on group
health plans and group health insurance issuers," Thompson's agency
said in a statement.
Among other things, those changes would require group health plans and
group health insurance issuers to give workers a statement about their
rights under the law.
___
On the Net:
Department of Health and Human Services (news - web sites):
http://www.hhs.gov
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar.
Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/8zSolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
New! Sign up for local CML support group meetings in your local community at
http://cml.meetup.com
Apply for Commercial Real Estate loans online and submit your deal to dozens of
hungry lenders in just minutes. Loan programs for all types of business and
commercial real estate. Apply anytime at http://realestatezoo.com
CML (Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Support List)
---------------------------------
Part Of CMLHope.Com
An International Community Of CML Patients
For more information: http://cmlhope.com
Post Message: [email protected]
Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Change To No Mail/Web: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Change To Digest: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Change To Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
List Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
CML Group Web Site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CML
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CML/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
