Casey, Schwartz, Families USA Discuss New Health Care Consumer Protections

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) today discussed new health care provisions going into effect on Thursday.   Senator Casey was joined by U.S. Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz and representatives of Families USA on a conference call highlighting important new consumer protections available to Pennsylvanians the  next time they renew their health insurance plan or change health insurers.

“Tomorrow, major new consumer protections will come into effect that will finally put Pennsylvanians in charge of their health care coverage,” said Senator Casey.  “These provisions being enacted will not only help to provide help to those who are without coverage, but it will also ensure that the coverage offered to those who already have coverage is of the highest quality and will protect families from financial ruin.”
 
Provisions being enacted Thursday include:
 
•           Parents can keep their children on their health plans up to age 26;
 
•           Insurers cannot deny coverage to a child because he or she has a pre-existing condition;
 
•           Your health care cannot be taken away by your health insurer if you get sick;
 
•           Insurers can no longer place lifetime limits on coverage, and annual limits are tightly regulated and
 
•           New health plans must provide you with recommended preventive care for free.
 
In addition to discussing the new consumer protections, Families USA today released the findings of a new study on tax credits that will significantly reduce the cost of private health insurance for those individuals and families.
 
In Pennsylvania, 1,007,800 people will be eligible for new tax cuts beginning in 2014 that will significantly reduce the cost of private health insurance for those individuals and families. The historic tax cut in the health reform law, which is estimated to reduce nationwide income taxes by more than $110 billion in 2014 alone, will be provided through tax credits to offset a portion of the cost of health insurance premiums and Pennsylvanians’ tax reductions will approximate $3.8 billion in that year.

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