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CCH® BENEFITS — 03/29/10

Health Reforms Begin To Take Effect

from Spencer’s Benefits Reports: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 makes the following reforms effective this year, according to Nancy-Ann DeParle, director, White House Office of Health Reform:

• Preexisting conditions exclusions are eliminated for children.
• Parents can continue to cover their children until age 26.
• Insurance companies will be banned from dropping people from coverage when they get sick (rescission), and they will be banned from implementing lifetime caps on coverage.
• A temporary subsidized high-risk pool will be available to adults with preexisting conditions.
• A new, independent appeals process is established that provides consumers in new private plans with access to an effective process to appeal decisions made by their insurer.
• Discrimination based on salary is outlawed. New group health plans will be prohibited from establishing any eligibility rules for health care coverage that discriminate in favor of higher-wage employees.
• Small businesses that choose to offer coverage will begin to receive tax credits of up to 35% of premiums to help make employee coverage more affordable.
• Private plans will be required to provide free preventive care with no copayments and no deductibles for preventive services.
• A temporary reinsurance program is established to help offset the costs of premiums for employers and retirees between the age 55 to 64.
• The Medicare Part D “donut hole” begins to close with a $250 rebate to Medicare beneficiaries who hit the gap in prescription drug coverage.

CCH Analysis Of Health Reform Act Available Soon

CCH's LAW, EXPLANATION AND ANALYSIS of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 provides the most comprehensive and practical guidance available to professionals needing to make sense of this historic legislation. CCH editorial staff, together with leading experts, provides clear and practical guidance on the many new areas of compliance in the law, so professionals can quickly understand, comply with new requirements, and plan for the future. Copies of the book are now available for purchase for $149.

Note that Internet customers automatically can access an electronic version of the book. Chapters are being posted as they are completed:

1. To access the legislation on IntelliConnect, visit “News” under the Browse tree menu “Health Care Compliance and Reimbursement.”

2. To access the legislation on the Internet Research Network, click on “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Law, Explanation, and Analysis” on the “Health Care Reimbursement" tab, under the "Medicare and Medicaid Guide” blue bar.

3. To access the legislation on the Tax Research NetWork, click on “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Law, Explanation, and Analysis” on the “Pension & Payroll” tab under the “Primary Sources” blue bar.

For more information or to order, please call (800) 248-3248 or visit http://hr.cch.com/Products/ProductID-7127.asp. Discounts are available for multiple copies.

For more information on this and related topics, consult the CCH Pension Plan Guide, CCH Employee Benefits Management, and Spencer's Benefits Reports.

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