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2013
A regular reader of Quinnscommentary recently made an interesting observation about the marketing being conducted by the federal government about Obamacare. He wrote;
My favorite is the DOL marketing effort titled “mythbuster”.
“Myth: If you already have insurance through your employer, health reform won’t benefit you.
Fact: The Affordable Care Act has many benefits for workers – even those who already have insurance. These include improved access to affordable preventive health services, coverage for children through the age of 26, increased protections against unfair premium increases, and a prohibition against denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions.”
All the while ignoring that either:
Employers shouldered the cost of these improvements, through increased contributions (likely dampening wage increases),
Employees shouldered the cost of these improvements through increased contributions, or
Employees shouldered the cost of these improvements through increased point of purchase cost sharing (deductibles, etc.).
You would think the government paid for these improvements… given the tone of the marketing effort.
Somebody is paying for all this and one way or the other and it’s you. Let me add a few observations of my own on the DOL one sided marketing.
About those “unfair premium increases;” most employers of any size are self insured so there are no premiums paid to an insurance company and no premium increases. If the employer is not self-insured, “unfair premium increases” usually lead to finding a new carrier.
As far as denying coverage for pre-existing conditions goes, from employer to employer that was taken care of long ago by HIPAA (The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). In fact, note part of the law’s name includes “Portability.” Here is how one employer explains that law.
Under HIPAA, after your medical coverage ends, the Plan Administrator will give you a written record of the coverage you had received through your Employer (referred to as a certificate of group health plan coverage) and, if applicable, under COBRA. You will receive a coverage certification when:
• Your coverage through your Employer ends;
• Your coverage under COBRA ends; or
• You request coverage certification (if the request is made within 24 months following the end of coverage).If you obtain future employment, you may need to submit the coverage certification to your new employer. The coverage certification may reduce the duration of any pre-existing condition limit under the new plan by one day for each day of prior coverage you had, subject to certain requirements. If you are purchasing individual coverage, you may need to present the coverage certification at that time.
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