Maine is all excited about the new health reforms. And why it should not be? Going by the advantages that the residents will receive on their health plans, the Act seems like a welcome relief to the citizens who were burdened with costly premiums and expensive healthcare services.
Here is how the purchasing of health plans will change after the reforms become completely effective:
Small businesses in Maine do not usually offer coverage to their workers because it is costlier for them. But 25,800 small firms in the state will be encouraged with tax credits so that they offer group health plans at work.
Approximately 21,500 Medicare beneficiaries who hit the donut hole and had to pay the full costs on their prescription drugs will be provided with a rebate check of $250. An additional 20,200 early retirees will be given a temporary fund of $5 billion to enable them access affordable health plans through their previous employers.
There would be changes on individual plans as well:
- No lifetime limits on health plans. This will protect 729,000 residents from running out-of coverage and save them from paying whopping out-of -pocket expenses
- There will be strict laws about rescission and insurance companies will not be able to drop people from coverage randomly. This will protect 69,000 individuals in Maine who bought their health plans from dishonest insurance practices.
- The patients’ choice of doctors will be protected and residents will be able to retain a plan that they like. New applicants will have the freedom to pick any participating primary care provider. There would be no pre-authorization required when a woman wants to visit an ob-gyn or in emergency cases.
- Young adults in Maine can stay in their parents’ health plans till they turn 26. This will provide relief to the 3300 individuals from having to pay costly premiums while studying or looking for work.
- Children with pre-existing health conditions will not be denied coverage on the basis of their health status. Adults will be saved from this discrimination in 2014. In the meanwhile, they will have access to a federal high risk pool of $17.2 million that will help them purchase health plans at cheaper rates.
Other than individual health plans, the community will also get benefited from the reforms. Government sponsored plans and programs will receive increased funding.
- The exiting 132 Community Health Centers will receive more federal dollars to double the patient intake and build new health centers
- The National Health Service Corps will receive $1.5 billion over five years to serve the 6% of the population of Maine that lives in underserved areas.
- The federal government will also pump in more dollars in Medicaid so that it is able to accommodate more people from the low-income bracket.
