PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

What the Health Care Reform Bill Will Mean for You

The Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act strives to eliminate wasteful spending on excess procedures and lower rates of infection, medical errors and hospital re-admittance.

2010-10-04
October 04, 2010 (Press-News.org) What the Health Care Reform Bill Will Mean for You

The Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act went into effect this past March. This important piece of legislation has the potential to impact the lives of every American, from the way they receive health care from their doctors to the types of coverages they receive from their insurers.

The main provisions of the health care reform bill strive not only to ensure that more than 90% of Americans have meaningful health insurance coverage, but also to fix some of the biggest problems facing the US health care system. These include wasteful spending on excess tests and procedures, unacceptable rates of infection and medical errors and high rates of hospital re-admittance.

Below you will find information on some of the key provisions of the law and how they may impact the way you receive medical care.

Changing the Delivery of Care

Care teams

The health care reform bill will impact the way patients interact with their physicians and other health care professionals. For example, a team of professionals, referred to as a "care team", will handle patient care. The members of the team will vary depending on the patient's circumstances, but may include nurse practioners, physician assistants, specialists, nutritionists and others in addition to the patient's primary care physician. Many believe that a team approach can help cut down on medical errors because more than one person is responsible for overseeing the patient's care.

Electronic medical records

Requiring the use of electronic medical records is another way the health care reform bill may help reduce medical errors and improve patient care. Putting patient records in an electronic format will make it more accessible to members of the patient's care team and cut down on the time it takes to transfer records from one care facility to another, or even between physicians. Electronic records also can help eliminate the problem of ineligible handwriting and missing pages from a patient's file.

Improved treatments

As part of the Affordable Health Care Act, the federal government is funding research through the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute that will help physicians pinpoint the best, most efficient types of treatments for certain medical conditions. Once this research is complete and doctors begin using it in practice, it can help cut back on the number of unnecessary tests and treatments physicians may use to diagnose and treat a patient.

Focus on keeping patients healthy

The new health care law also hopes to re-orientate the practice of medicine from only helping those who are sick to keeping patients healthy. In practice, this may mean check-in calls from family practioners to remind patients to come in for physicals and have other preventative treatments, like cancer screenings. It also may mean home visits from nurses after patients with serious illnesses and injuries have been discharged from the hospital.

New Insurance Rules

For 2010, the biggest changes under the health care reform bill will affect insurance coverages. These changes include:
-Insurers cannot deny coverage to children due to pre-existing condition
-No more lifetime caps on insurance coverage
-Coverage under employer-sponsored group policies will cover dependent children up to age 26
-Insurers will have to provide coverage for certain preventative measures, including screenings for high blood pressure, osteoporosis, diabetes and sexually transmitted diseases; colonoscopies and smoking cessation counseling
-Those with serious health conditions who have been unable to obtain private insurance can purchase a policy subsidized by the federal government at rates similar to those for healthy adults

More Changes to Come in 2014

Many of the measures under the health care reform bill are not set to go into effect until 2014. Some of these measures include:
- Pre-existing conditions: health insurers will no longer be able to deny coverage due to pre-existing conditions
- Penalties: those who have not purchased a health insurance policy will be assessed a penalty of $95 or up to 1% of their income for individuals, whichever is greater. The fine increases to $695 or 2.5% of an individual's income in 2016.
- Insurance exchange: insurance premiums subsidized by the federal government under the state-based insurance exchange will become available for those who fall within income guidelines. Currently, those with incomes above 133% of the federal poverty level and below 400% of the federal poverty level will be eligible on a sliding scale for the subsidies.
- Maternity care: insurance companies will be required to provide coverage for maternity care
- Nursing mothers: employers will be required to provide nursing mothers unpaid reasonable break times for pumping breast milk as well as a private place other than a bathroom to do it in
- Continuing coverage: those who quit or lose their jobs will not lose their health coverage. They will have the option to purchase coverage subsidized by the federal government through the insurance exchange. Those whose only source of income is unemployment benefits may be eligible for Medicaid.
- Expansion of Medicaid: the Medicaid program will be made available to any adult under 65 years of age who falls within the income guidelines, currently set at 133% of the federal poverty limit, or less than $29,327 for a family of four.

Conclusion

Once all of the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act go into effect, it will have a profound impact on the US health care system. Whether or not it will be able to tackle all of the problems facing the nation's health care system has yet to be seen. However, these reforms could go a long way towards improving patient care, including decreasing the number of medical errors currently plaguing our system.

For more information on how the health care reform law impacts your rights or for questions about filing a medical malpractice claim, contact an experienced attorney in your area.

Article provided by Mishkind Law Firm Co., L.P.A.
Visit us at www.mishkindlaw.com


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Divorcing? What Happens to Your Mortgage?

2010-10-04
Divorcing? What Happens to Your Mortgage? Divorcing Homeowners Have Mortgage Options to Consider Homeowners facing a divorce have a wide variety of difficult matters to sort through as they separate and start new lives. If the couple owns a home together, mortgage and possession issues must be resolved. The decisions made regarding a mortgage are crucial to long-term financial well-being. Even if your spouse is to get the house and accompanying mortgage payments in your divorce, you are still financially obligated to make sure those payments are made. When you ...

The Judgments of Judges Questioned in New York DWI Cases

2010-10-04
The Judgments of Judges Questioned in New York DWI Cases Recently released statistics are making headlines in New York, as an analysis of driving while intoxicated (DWI) conviction rates by the Democrat and Chronicle in Rochester has revealed some surprising information. Specifically, the analysis revealed a significant disparity between Monroe County's overall conviction rate for DWI (73 percent) and the conviction rate for those who proceed to a non-jury trial (14.8 percent). Many are ready to jump to conclusions regarding the implications of this information. To ...

Boomers Going Broke

2010-10-04
Boomers Going Broke Bankruptcy filings have been on the rise during this challenging economy. Financial struggles are impacting all age groups, and, recently, more baby boomers are finding themselves in financial difficulty. While people have considered bankruptcy a non-option, it might be the only way to eliminate debt. With retirement rapidly approaching, boomers need to have a plan in place that will allow them to get back on their feet. A report by the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI) Journal states that nearly 42 percent of individuals who filed for bankruptcy ...

Texas Experiments with Specialty Courts

2010-10-04
Texas Experiments with Specialty Courts The criminal justice system has not been working; at least, it is not working for all people in all circumstances. The system is strained by repeat offenders who recycle through the system, as some have come to believe, due to unique issues that have not been addressed. For example, many people with substance-abuse problems are convicted of drug crimes and given probation, only to violate the terms of probation that they not use drugs because of underlying untreated drug addiction. Over the past few years, Texas has been ...

Guidelines for Child Passenger Safety

2010-10-04
Guidelines for Child Passenger Safety National Child Passenger Safety Week ended September 25. This week of awareness is an excellent reminder for parents to become informed on what they can do to ensure their children's safety as passengers in motor vehicles at all times. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently tested 23 new booster seat models for their fit and ability to protect children from serious injury in a crash. This year's models were found to be better at safely restraining a child than last year's models. The study also found that boosters ...

The Basics of Social Security Disability

2010-10-04
The Basics of Social Security Disability Throughout the course of an adult's working life, there is a possibility that the adult may face a serious health challenge, such as an illness, impairment or disability. When the illness, impairment or disability prevents a person from working, one may be eligible for benefits from the Social Security Administration. According to the Social Security Administration, a 20-year-old worker has a three in ten chance of becoming impaired or disabled before the age of retirement. Many applicants for benefits are initially denied, ...

Corcentric Announces New Webinar on Accounts Payable Automation

Corcentric Announces New Webinar on Accounts Payable Automation
2010-10-04
Corcentric, a leading provider of accounts payable automation solutions, today announced a new live Webinar: How Do You Achieve Accounts Payable Automation Using Software as a Service? The 45-minute Webinar, which is the first in a series of educational Webinars about AP automation, takes place on Thursday, October 7th at 2:00 PM EDT. Rob DeVincent, Vice President of Corcentric Product Marketing is the Webinar's featured speaker. He will explore how enterprises have been attempting to bridge the automation gaps that persist in the back office where people, paper, and ...

MyCoolCell Offers Thousands of Premium MyBat Brand Mobile Electronic Accessories at Extremely Competitive Wholesale Prices for Resellers Only

MyCoolCell Offers Thousands of Premium MyBat Brand Mobile Electronic Accessories at Extremely Competitive Wholesale Prices for Resellers Only
2010-10-04
Retailers, resellers and carriers looking for new ways to add pizazz to their retail line-up have a great option. The Premium MyBat line of wholesale cell phone accessories are available now at MyCoolCell.net. The line includes stunning iPhone cases and iPhone accessories for the always popular iPhone 3G and 4G, as well as cell phone accessories wholesale and retail for a multitude of other popular cell phone brands and models such as LG, Samsung, Motorola and HTC. Dreary, gray winter days just cry out for beauty and color, and that's exactly what customers will get ...

toyportfolio.com, the Independent Consumer Website, Announces Top-Rated Toys for 2010

toyportfolio.com, the Independent Consumer Website, Announces Top-Rated Toys for 2010
2010-10-04
The independent consumer organization, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, announces their annual toy awards on their website www.toyportfolio.com. "Our award list this year is a mix of both classic toys and those that use cutting edge technology," notes child development expert and co-founder Joanne Oppenheim. "The good news for consumers is that there are many great choices that won't break the bank," adds co-founder Stephanie Oppenheim. "As always we've done the work so that parents can bring home engaging toys that will be a hit with their kids and not be a waste of their ...

The Paddington Corporation Announces A Joint Venture with 3 Amigos Tequila To Market Their Award Winning, 100% Agave, Hand Crafted, 3 Amigos Family of Tequilas

The Paddington Corporation Announces A Joint Venture with 3 Amigos Tequila To Market Their Award Winning, 100% Agave, Hand Crafted, 3 Amigos Family of Tequilas
2010-10-04
The Paddington Corporation today announced the formation of a Joint Venture with the Gonzalez family to market 3 Amigos Tequila globally. In addition, Paddington announced the appointment of Pelican Brands as the exclusive US importer for 3 Amigos. Known as "Your Arizona Family Tequila," 3 Amigos Tequila was founded by Arizona resident Santiago Gonzalez and his family in 2007. Our tequila is made from agave grown for generations at his family's farm in Mexico. Our Tequila is hand crafted and distilled and bottled in Mexico before being brought to the United States for ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Cooler heads prevail: New research reveals best way to prevent dogs from overheating

UC Riverside medical school develops new curriculum to address substance use crisis

Food fussiness a largely genetic trait from toddlerhood to adolescence

Celebrating a century of scholarship: Isis examines the HSS at 100

Key biomarkers identified for predicting disability progression in multiple sclerosis

Study: AI could lead to inconsistent outcomes in home surveillance

Study: Networks of Beliefs theory integrates internal & external dynamics

Vegans’ intake of protein and essential amino acids is adequate but ultra-processed products are also needed

Major $21 million Australian philanthropic investment to bring future science into disease diagnosis

Innovating alloy production: A single step from ores to sustainable metals

New combination treatment brings hope to patients with advanced bladder cancer

Grants for $3.5M from TARCC fund new Alzheimer’s disease research at UTHealth Houston

UTIA researchers win grant for automation technology for nursery industry

Can captive tigers be part of the effort to save wild populations?

The Ocean Corporation collaborates with UTHealth Houston on Space Medicine Fellowship program

Mysteries of the bizarre ‘pseudogap’ in quantum physics finally untangled

Study: Proteins in tooth enamel offer window into human wellness

New cancer cachexia treatment boosts weight gain and patient activity

Rensselaer researcher receives $3 million grant to explore gut health

Elam named as a Fellow of the Electrochemical Society

Study reveals gaps in access to long-term contraceptive supplies

Shining a light on the roots of plant “intelligence”

Scientists identify a unique combination of bacterial strains that could treat antibiotic-resistant gut infections

Pushing kidney-stone fragments reduces stones’ recurrence

Sweet success: genomic insights into the wax apple's flavor and fertility

New study charts how Earth’s global temperature has drastically changed over the past 485 million years, driven by carbon dioxide

Scientists say we have enough evidence to agree global action on microplastics

485 million-year temperature record of Earth reveals Phanerozoic climate variability

Atmospheric blocking slows ocean-driven glacier melt in Greenland

Study: Over nearly half a billion years, Earth’s global temperature has changed drastically, driven by carbon dioxide

[Press-News.org] What the Health Care Reform Bill Will Mean for You
The Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act strives to eliminate wasteful spending on excess procedures and lower rates of infection, medical errors and hospital re-admittance.