Heath Care Reform

Young adults in Nebraska can now stay under their parent’s policy. The new health law mandates health insurance companies to allow parents to keep their children in their policy until age 15,280 young adults in Nebraska have benefited from this plan (as of June 2011). Because of the new law, Medicare members no longer need to worry about their extra prescription cost. Once they reach the donut hole in 2010, they are sent a check for a $250 rebate. 26,072 seniors in Nebraska have received the rebate to offset the cost of their prescription drugs. A 50 percent discount was also given for brand name drugs once they’ve hit the donut hole. This resulted to an average savings of $15,175,406  for Nebraska Medicare members. The Affordable Care Act aims to close the donut hole by 2020. One of the provisions of the health care reform is to provide preventive care services free of charge for Medicare members and free from cost-sharing for those enrolled under private plans. In 2011, 197,647 Medicare members and 359,000 private plan members in Nebraska have received free preventive care services like colonoscopies and mammograms. The new health law protects consumers’ money through the medical loss ratio which mandates insurers to spend 80 percent of their premium dollars on medical care and only 20 percent on administrative costs. 564,000 Residents are now able to maximize their Nebraska health insurance premium. The new health law requires Nebraska health insurance companies who want to raise their rates by at least 10 percent to make public the details as to why there is a need for rate increase. A $1 million fund was given to Nebraska to defend and implement this provision. Insurers are no longer allowed to impose a lifetime limit on their members’ benefits. 701,000 Nebraska residents are now free from having lifetime limits on their coverage. Patients with chronic diseases don’t have to worry about maximizing their limit because of their accumulating medical costs. Through the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, residents who have pre-existing condition can now have affordable Nebraska health insurance coverage. As of 2011, 174 residents now have a Nebraska health insurance. Without this provision, their only chance of getting covered is through very expensive Nebraska health insurance quotes. Nebraska has received a $7.3 million  grant to develop more health programs and policies. They have also received $13.4 million to create more health centers and to improve existing centers and the quality of health care delivered. »