I was asked to write an article on health care reform for an upcoming issue of a national Epilepsy-focused magazine…it really helped me understand so much about the new law. More on that in the weeks to come.

But, this topic got me thinking. Is it time to delve into how the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will affect me and those I know with Epilepsy? It seems the media has backed off a bit on talking about the new law, most likely because they are focused on other crucial matters like the monstrous oil spill in the Gulf. Still, as I was doing my hours and hours of research for this article, I began to think, it might be a good chance to post a list of links and facts, so you too can do your homework. We owe it to ourselves and if we are caregivers for someone with Epilepsy, we owe it to them to stay informed.

Here’s the scoop on just a few of the provisions:

-By this fall, access to coverage for children will change drastically. Young adult dependents will be allowed to stay on their parents’ health care plan until age 26 EVEN if they have a chronic illness/condition like Epilepsy.

-This fall, what we call ‘pre-existing conditions’ exclusions will end. No one, including children, will be denied coverage due to health status, and that includes Epilepsy.

-Also this fall, insurance companies will no longer be allowed to insure a child, but exclude specific treatments for that child’s pre-existing condition, i.e. EEGs, PET scans, etc.

-Another change we’ll see is the increased access to routine or preventative care. Out-of-pocket expenses and caps on these visits will end. No plan will be able to limit the number of times you must visit your specialist.

-Medicare and Medicaid…it’s a concern for many who live with Epilepsy. For patients on Medicare, the ‘donut hole’ will soon be eliminated and Medicare beneficiaries can look forward to some relief as a $250 reimbursement program is set to roll out later this year.

There are other provisions that will be rolled out in the months and years to come. But the fact of the matter is…health care reform IS very positive for those living with Epilepsy, no matter what political party you are affiliated with. Will things change if you have coverage already? Possibly…but you must ask questions when you begin to receive notifications on potential changes.

I will keep you posted on the article publication date…and I will also stay current on when all of these provisions will take effect.

In the meantime, here are some links that can help you navigate the changes:

For general questions on health care reform:

http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/advocacy/

http://www.whitehouse.gov/healthreform

http://healthreform.gov/

For information on how Medicare will be affected:

http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Search/Results.asp?PubID=11467&Type=PubID

For specific questions on dependent coverage:

http://www.hhs.gov/ociio/regulations/adult_child_faq.html

To find your state’s insurance commissioner:

http://www.naic.org/state_web_map.htm

photo courtesy of healthreform.gov