Texas’s Immediate Benefits From the Healthcare Reforms

Let’s have a quick peep into the healthcare reforms and what immediate benefits it bring to the Texans:

1. All 2.8 million of Medicare enrollees in Texas will get preventive services, like colorectal cancer screenings, mammograms, and an annual wellness visit without copayments, coinsurance, or deductibles.

2. Texas has $493 million federal dollars available starting July 1 to provide coverage for uninsured residents with pre-existing medical conditions. This project is entirely funded by the Federal government.

3. 293,000 small businesses in Texas may be eligible for the new small business tax credit.

4. Texas, for the first time, has the option of Federal Medicaid funding for coverage for all low-income populations, irrespective of age, disability, or family status.

5. Beginning October 1, 2010, 318 Community Health Centers will help nearly double the number of patients seen by the centers over the next five years by increased funding.

Now, it is clear that there are loads of benefits coming from the implementation of this law, though it enforces on the consumers to buy health insurance or face penalties. The nature of reforms is bit intrusive, but it certainly has its own advantages and benefits.

Texas to Review ‘unreasonable’ Premium Hikes

Texas, as of now, had the policy of non-interference in hikes in premium rates unless it increased by 50% or so. But with the federal health reforms coming into the place, all that is going to change.

According to the new reforms, insurers have to justify the unreasonable hike in the price of the premiums. It is a consumer protection method being implemented by the Texas Insurance Department after the new heath laws are enforced.

Though Texas always has the authority to ask insurers about hikes in premiums, it was rarely used. Texas, traditionally, has always stayed away from interfering with the work of the insurers.

Katrina Daniel, the senior associate commissioner of the life, health and licensing program at the Department of Insurance has said, “The department is working out a time line for conducting more rate reviews.” She also stressed that the review does not mean that the state will deny an increase, as long as the insurers are able to justify their decision.

The law requires that the states and federal secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services hold insurers more accountable for what they charge customers. Starting with health plans this year, insurers will have to submit to the states and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius a justification for an "unreasonable" increase before imposing that rate. The information also would have to be posted on the company's website. The problem here however is that the federal government has not defined the term ‘unreasonable’.

Texas has already received a federal funding of a million dollars which it will use to collect data, develop a public disclosure process to include information from insurers justifying their premium increases and upgrade technology for data analysis.

Though the time frame and details have not been worked out, one thing that is for sure is that Texas will be reviewing premium rates from now.

Student Health Insurance in Texas

As a student in Texas, there are lots of options available for consumers to buy health insurance. Some of them are:

• Students can stay in their family health insurance policy as dependents till the age of 26 years. This age been recently fixed by the healthcare reforms.
• If along with studies, consumers are working, they can ask their employer to provide coverage.
• Sometimes, students may qualify for Medicaid, which is of course, a very cheap Student health insurance options. Students should check with the health insurance department of Texas for the same.
• Students may also apply for coverage through the Texas Health Insurance Pool.

However, the best option among these remains the first one—to remain or extend the coverage through parents’ health insurance policy. It is a great privilege now that students can stay as dependents till the age of 26 years, which of course, was 18-19 years earlier. Some companies are already offering this option, though the law requires it to be implemented in September, 2010.

Obama address about health reforms in Austin

Amid angered frenzy in various states about the Affordability Act, President Barrack Obama explained the benefits of the health reforms to the residents of Texas. Addressing a Democratic fundraiser in Austin, Obama spelled out what to reforms will exactly mean to Texans.

Stressing on the advantages he said that the Act will ensure that no American faces medical bankruptcy and that every child has access to preventive care services.

Elaborating further, the President said, “It is cutting taxes for small business owners that cover their employees, by up to 35 percent of the premiums they’re paying for their employees. It’s saying to young people, you can stay on your parent’s health insurance until you’re 26 so that there’s not that gap in coverage just as they’re starting their careers. It’s providing assistance to seniors, so that they can help to deal with that doughnut hole that was created by the prescription drug plan.”

Obama also assured that the reforms will prevent insurance companies from denying coverage to anybody. The President also went on to rebuke the Republicans accusing them of making this to be more of an election issue than thinking about the future generations. There was a special mention for House Republican Leader John Boehner whose ‘big job plan’ involved repelling the federal health reforms.

Texas incidentally has the highest percentage of uninsured individual adults in the country, a figure reported to be around 26.8 % by Gallup- HealthwaysWell-Being Index. Hispanics, who form about 40% of the Texan population, are among the most likely group of American adults who remain uninsured.

The importance of health insurance to Texans

Think of Texas and the picture that conjures up in the mind is that of a cowboy. And if you are Texan, then no one would know it better than you that the state is home to activities such as riding bikes and horses, rodeo pursuits and the likes of it. And neither would anyone know it better than you that these adventures are as risky to your health as they are exciting.

Not just accidents, but health problems are also a big by-product of the eventful life that the Texans live. Hence it is more important for them than anybody else, to have a health plan that covers all their medical needs.

Not just any health policy, residents of Texas need a plan that comprehensively covers all their local and personal needs. Local insurance providers are the best people to consult and choose from as they aware of the specific needs of the local residents.

An individual plan in Texas usually covers check ups, preventive care, and medication and accident bills. There may be slight variation here and there depending on the kind of the plan and the premium being paid for it. Residents will have access to additional benefits such as drug and alcohol rehabilitation if they are covered in a group insurance by the employer.

However, to cut down costs, most employers are staying away from providing coverage and this prompting Texans to opt for individual plans. What is pacifying is that in Texas private health plans cost almost the same as government policies. This is because in these health plans, people are offered the most important options and the additional benefits are excluded. However, if you can afford it, you can surely go for a health insurance plan that offers supplementary benefits as well.

Texas has one of the most effective and medically advanced health care system in the USA. Couple it with a comprehensive individual health plan that covers all anticipated health plan and Texans are all set to enjoy the adventurous life that the state is so well-known for.