Largest Insurer Will Retain Popular ACA Provisions
When the US Supreme Court issues its ruling on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) at the end of this month, it will have no effect on current policies at UnitedHealthcare, the nation’s largest health insurer. According to an article in the Washington Post, UnitedHealthcare is expected to announce on Monday that the company plans to continue to provide preventive healthcare services with no copayment or other out-of-pocket charges involved. In addition, parents insured through UnitedHealthcare will continue to be able to keep their adult children up to 26 years of age on their plans, and the company will retain the more streamlined appeals process required by the ACA. Finally, the company will continue to abide by ACA’s provisions prohibiting lifetime limits on insurance payouts and rescinding coverage after a member becomes ill (except in cases where an application involved false information).
The provisions the company will retain regardless of the Court’s ruling are know as the “Patients Bill of Rights,” and UnitedHealthcare is the first health insurer to publicly commit to retaining the popular provisions. A company spokesman said they opted to announce their plans now because, “people in this uncertain time are worried about what might happen to their coverage and we think the time is right to let people know that these provisions will continue and they can count on us.”
The policy applies to approximately 9 million beneficiaries in plans that they or their employer have purchased from UnitedHealthcare.
