Health coverage for adults with pre-existing conditions to receive financial boost in California

The federal government will be sending California $118 million in funds to support its health coverage of adults who have a pre-existing medical condition in 2012. The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) has been federally funded and state run since 2010, to make sure that those who would be otherwise uninsurable would be able to obtain coverage, regardless of the medical conditions that have either caused insurers to deny them a policy or to charge astronomical premiums. The PCIP functions as a transition to provide this necessary coverage until 2014,…

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Low enrollment in federal insurance program spurs a drop in premiums

Earlier this year, the federal government expanded the eligibility of a federal health insurance program to include those with preexisting conditions. The initiative was originally slated to take effect in 2014, along with the rest of the Affordable Care Act, but the Department of Health and Human Services enacted the new rules in an effort to ensure more people were receiving health insurance. The program, however, has been fraught with low enrollment, spurring the HHS to lower premiums by an average of 18% throughout the nation. The HHS hopes that…

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Pre-existing conditions insurance rules loosened

The federal government is making moves to make health insurance more affordable for those with pre-existing conditions. Today, officials expanded a program that was established as part of the new healthcare laws. Throughout the country, the government is lowering insurance rates on special policies that cover those with chronic conditions like cancer and diabetes. Furthermore, restrictions on who can apply for pre-existing condition insurance plans have been loosened, allow for more people to purchase such policies. Originally, the program was designed to help those with chronic illnesses receive temporary coverage…

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Living organ donors have a hard time finding health insurance

Living organ donors are facing some major challenges when it comes to obtaining insurance coverage. Organ donation can often be a tricky subject. Donation isn’t often associated with organs coming from a living patient, but rather one that is recently deceased. Living donors are commonplace, providing a kidney or a part of their liver to those in need. Many health insurers are now claiming that organ donation is equivalent to a pre-existing condition, making affordable coverage a real issue for living donors. While insurers are barred from explicitly denying coverage…

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Turn-out for Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan Not as Expected

Turn-out for Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan Not as Expected

A newly released feature of the health care reform which allows people who have been previously rejected for coverage due to pre-existing health issues is not attracting as many consumers as expected. Some states are claiming the costs for existing high risk pools are already too high, and many worry that the 5 billion dollars allotted by congress as a start up for the plans may not be enough to cover the claims. The federal health officials argue that the new insurance plan is only experiencing “growing pains”. It will…

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