How Will 2010 Health Care Reform Legislation Impact You?

Welcome to my Blog on 2010 Health Care Reform Legislation that became law in March of this year!

Like it or not, health care reform is here to stay. My blog will pay special attention to the impact of the health care reform bill on Medicare, since that program is near and dear to so many here in the Sunshine State.

One of the features I plan to offer regularly is "What's New This Week." In these posts I'll share something noteworthy for the upcoming week or provide an update on an important topic discussed in a prior post

So, What's New This Week? On June 10, a $250 rebate check might be coming in the mail! That's if you have a Medicare Part D drug plan and you've already entered the dreaded coverage gap, or donut hole, this year.

According to Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Medicare beneficiaries need not take any action to receive their rebate since its issuance is based on Medicare billing data.

The $250 rebate checks to be mailed throughout the remainder of 2010 mark the first milestone of a 10-year timeline over which the Medicare Part D coverage gap will be eliminated. Next year, a 50% discount will apply to brand name drugs for those who are in the coverage gap.

To learn more about the Medicare Part D program, including how the coverage gap works, please visit our Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage page.

For the record, I'm posting a video of President Obama speaking about the health care bill back in September:

In this address, the President mentioned a number of key elements of his package including:

• No more denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions
• No dropped coverage when you get sick
• Elimination of yearly and lifetime caps on coverage
• Cap on out-of-pocket expenses
• Required coverage for preventive care
• New Insurance Marketplace (Exchange)

Most of the proposed elements of President Obama's plan became law with the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), revised by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 and signed into law on March 30, 2010; however many of the important plan provisions don't go into effect until 2014 or later.

Look for another post this week, this one featuring a more recent video of the President speaking about health care reform changes that are effective in the first year following passage of this historic bill.

Until next time,


Andrew Herman