Health Care Reform: What does it mean for you?

Download a short brochure about current benefits of the health care reform law.

The Affordable Care Act is bringing health care coverage to more individuals and families in Maine and across the country. Comprehensive health care reform that Congress passed in March 2010 reached its first milestone on September 23rd. Several important new protections that will improve coverage for millions of Americans went into effect.

Sick children can’t be denied coverage. Children under age 19 with private health insurance can no longer be denied coverage for pre-existing conditions. In 2014 this will apply to all adults with private insurance as well.

Health coverage extended to young adults. Young adults up to age 26 will be allowed to stay on, or be added to, their parent’s family policy. Your child does NOT need to be financially dependent on you. Nor are they required to live with you, be unemployed, unmarried, or be a student. Learn more here

Ending lifetime limits. Insurance plans can no longer have lifetime caps on coverage. They are also banned from cutting off your coverage due to any unintentional mistakes on your application.

Free preventive care. New health plans will have to cover preventive services such as annual physicals, immunizations, prenatal and new baby care, and mammograms and other screenings with no co-pays or deductibles.

People with Medicare. People enrolled in Medicare Part D will get a discount on brand-name drugs and a reduction in the cost of generics if they fall in the coverage gap (doughnut hole.) More on Medicare-related benefits here

Read this June 2011 healthcare.gov report about drug cost savings to date: Affordable Care Act Saves $260 Million This Year.

And there are more far reaching reforms that will take effect in 2014, including:

• Medicaid coverage for all non-elderly childless adults, who are not eligible for Medicare and who have income up to 133% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL)
• Access to a new competitive health insurance market through an Exchange
• Subsidies for low to moderate income people to help purchase health coverage through the Exchange

As new coverage is phased in over the next three years, thousands of hard-working individuals and families in Maine will finally have access to affordable, quality care. So, stay tuned – MEJP will provide more information about the implementation of health care reform in Maine as it becomes available.

Go here to learn more about the Affordable Care Act
and what it means for you

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The Maine Health Access Foundation (MeHAF) is working with ten nonprofits across the state to support accurate, direct and effective information about how health care reform will affect people in Maine.

They are:

• Consumers for Affordable Health Care, Augusta
• Eastern Area Agency on Aging, Bangor
• Healthy Community Coalition, Farmington
• Legal Services for the Elderly, Augusta
• Maine Equal Justice Partners, Augusta
• MaineHealth CarePartners, Portland
• Maine Medical Education Trust, Manchester
• Maine Primary Care Association, Augusta
• Maine People's Resource Center, Portland
• Western Maine Community Action, East Wilton