Exemption request from mandatory health insurance for health care workers

Long Term CareOne of the more controversial provisions in the new health care reform law is that U.S. citizens will be required to have some form of health insurance coverage. While the federal government seeks to make this possible through the establishment of health insurance exchanges throughout the country, the fact remains that insurance is expensive.

Currently, many citizens receive coverage through their employers, but not every company continues to offer such benefits. Those that do not have these benefits are left to come up with a solution on their own.

It a strange twist of irony, it turns out that a number of health care professionals are unable to afford health insurance. These are members of nursing homes and home care agencies. These businesses do not typically offer coverage benefits to employees and many go without insurance.

 According to the Affordable Care Act, however, businesses with 50 or more employees are mandated to provide affordable coverage to their employees by 2014. However, many health care workers will be unable to afford the expected $24 per month premiums associated with such coverage.

This has led the American Health Care Association to seek exemptions from Congress on behalf of nursing home and home care professionals. The exemptions will release these workers from the federal mandate of obtaining health insurance. Their insurance situation will be left to their discretion. States have been successful in obtaining exemptions in the past, but it remains unclear whether the health care industry will be privy to the same benefits.

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