Administration warns insurers on children's preexisting conditions

[Mr. Sparkle]

Source: The Hill

Administration warns insurers on children's preexisting conditions
By Michael O'Brien - 03/29/10 06:52 PM ET

The Obama administration sent a stern warning to health insurers Monday to not exploit loopholes in healthcare law to not cover preexisting conditions among children.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius wrote the head of an insurance industry group, America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), warning that she's prepared to issue regulations on top of new healthcare law to ensure children's preexisting conditions are covered.

"Unfortunately, recent media accounts indicate that some insurance companies may be seeking to avoid or ignore a provision in the new law that prohibits insurance companies from excluding children with pre-existing conditions from coverage," Sebelius wrote.

"To ensure that there is no ambiguity on this point, I am preparing to issue regulations in the weeks ahead ensuring that the term 'pre-existing condition exclusion' applies to both a child's access to a plan and to his or her benefits once he or she is in the plan," the secretary added.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-Calif.) quickly promoted Sebelius's letter on Monday afternoon after having sent their own warnings to insurers this afternoon.

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/89711-administration-warns-insurers-on-childrens-preexisting-conditions

[FiveGoodMen]

1. "to not exploit loopholes in healthcare law"

Why weren't those loopholes fixed before signing the law?

[Posteritatis]

2. I imagine a loophole-free bill would be 50,000 pages long these days. (nt)

[FiveGoodMen]

6. Then there's really no such thing as a useful law

If, after all that wrangling, the upshot is, "please don't be mean and take advantage of people ... please?" then what's the point?

[Duer 157099]

3. That's what I don't get, either

If the answer is: "because there are so many pages to read and so few of us to read them" and so it took wider distribution of the bill before this flaw was made known... well, I can imagine that but it speaks very poorly of those passing laws that they haven't carefully read.

No that *that* ever happens!

[LisaM]

11. The law of unintended consequences

The appalling propensity of the usurers and profit seekers to exploit is always going to be one step ahead of those who are trying to play fair and help others.

[Donnachaidh]

13. the insurance companies were involved in the writing of this drek

Wonder what other stealth bombs they'll be setting off down the road - that they helped plant? They had to *out* themselves on this one, because parents are the ones who will want to get insurance for their kids first.

"Change" -- yea right. :sarcasm:

[kestrel91316]

7. Tell ya what - YOU sit down and write us a Healthcare Reform Law, that

will make 100% of citizens happy AND be legally bulletproof.

Run along now. Get writing.

[bergie321]

14. 3 words. 1 Page.

Medicare for all.

[unblock]

15. doesn't sound like a loophole -- sounds like an insurance lawyer trying to twist words

so the law didn't spell out in excruciatingly plain language that "you can't deny children insurance based on pre-existing conditions" applies to child applicants as well as already-insured children. i haven't seen the actual language, but if sebelius is solving the problem simply by issuing a regulation, that suggests that there is no loophole other than in some over eager lawyer's mind.

[PSPS]

4. Better yet, give them a simple ultimatum: Fuck around and it's adios.

These disgusting parasites on society should have been done away with long ago. I'd threaten to scuttle their entire industry with Medicate Part E(veryone) the next time I hear even the suggestion of any shenanigans.

[kestrel91316]

8. This bill has given the insurance companies just enough rope to hang themselves.

And they are already in a mad race to do just that. By 2014 there won't be a single American other than ins co execs who isn't demanding Single Payer RIGHT NOW.

[SharonAnn]

18. They'll keep trying to do this kind of thing and eventually, they may hang themselves!

Wouldn't that be wonderful? We'll just decided "To Hell with them!" and we'll vote in Medicare E (for Everyone).

[BanzaiBonnie]

5. Can you Medicare Part E For Everyone!

I believe Grayson's proposal is only three or four pages, if that.


I'm fine with the insurance companies showing their colors. That will mean the faster they cut their own throats and we get rid of "for profit" health insurance companies altogether.

[kestrel91316]

9. Yep. They are gonna shoot themselves in the feet until they are nothign but bloody stumps.

[Hoyt]

10. The insurance companies know the intent of the law.

Regulations can tighten it up so the greedy jerks can't circumvent it (not that they won't attempt to do so).

The first time they do refuse to issue a policy to a child -- it's time for a court case with potential damages. I'm sure there are consumer protection groups that will take em on.

[Donnachaidh]

12. oh a *sternly written letter*

That will school em, right?

Right?


:crickets:

[JanusAscending]

17. Who's side are YOU on????

Just wondering.

[Donnachaidh]

23. the side that covers kids with pre-existing conditions

You know, the kids who AREN'T covered by this bill?

[fascisthunter]

16. trust me... private insurance's strangle hold will end soon

just not soon enough. Their days are numbered.

[mvd]

19. An update - but we must keep them to their word

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-politics/20100329/US.Health.Overhaul.Children_s.Coverage/

[Iowa]

20. This is good. The regs will clarify, and that should be the end of it...

One has to wonder why this wasn't clear in the law itself, however, and if there are other similar ambiguities the insurance industry will try to exploit.

[salguine]

21. The Administration "warns" the industry it just handed the keys to. That's fucking rich.

[pundaint]

22. How naive is this Administration? Don't exploit loopholes indeed. That's called competitive edge.

Liberals could have shared this information, had we been included - we told our congressmen. Anybody claiming surprise is not fit for office by way of mental incapacity.