Kaiser Family Foundation
www.kff.org
National Association of Health Underwriters
www.nahu.org
HealthReform.gov
www.healthreform.gov
SHRM’s HCR Resource Page
www.SHRM.org
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Welcome to HCR Central, an online resource provided by Burnham Benefits to keep you informed about health care reform after the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, signed into law by President Obama on March 23 and March 30, respectively.
Major Provisions
Health care reform legislation aims to help more than 32 million Americans afford health care who do not get it today – and makes coverage more affordable for many more. Under the plan, an estimated 95% of Americans will be insured. Here are some of the major provisions of the legislation.
Some of the most notable items that go into effect in the first year are as follows:
- A $250 rebate this year to Medicare prescription drug beneficiaries whose initial benefits run out
- Immediate access to high‐risk pools for people with no insurance because of pre‐existing conditions
- Insurers barred from denying people coverage when they get sick
- Insurers barred from denying coverage to children with pre‐existing conditions
- Insurers barred from imposing lifetime caps on coverage
- Insurers required to allow dependents to stay on their parents' policies until they turn 26
Many reforms are due to be phased in through the year 2018, with a large number of milestones occurring in the year 2014. Read more about the law’s major provisions.
Timeline for Reform
2010
Tax credits provided to small employers with no more than 25 employees and average annual wages of less than $50,000 to provide health insurance for employees.
Create a temporary reinsurance program for employers providing health care coverage to retirees over age 55 who are not eligible for Medicare.
See More 2010
Milestones
2011
Employers required to disclose the value of the health coverage provided by the employer to each employee on the employee’s annual Form W‐2.
Health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage (including grandfathered health plans) must annually report on the share of premium dollars spent on health care.
See More 2011 Milestones