Thanks for the link.....but this nightmare of a bill is sooo lengthy and so full of bureaucracy covering every tiny fragment of health related services......IT HAS TO BE THE WORST BILL EVER WRITTEN and the MOST DAMAGING BILL EVERY WRITTEN.
The cap/tax and trade bil is a close second.
PASS THE WORD, GET FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO READ THIS BILL OR THIS SUMMARY. ALL THOSE RETIREES - GIVE THEM THIS AS A PROJECT. THEN GET THE WORD OUT AND CALL, CALL, CALL.
(a) Grandfathered Health Insurance Coverage Defined- Subject to the succeeding provisions of this section, for purposes of establishing acceptable coverage under this division, the term `grandfathered health insurance coverage’ means individual health insurance coverage that is offered and in force and effect before the first day of Y1 if the following conditions are met:
(1) LIMITATION ON NEW ENROLLMENT-
(A) IN GENERAL- Except as provided in this paragraph, the individual health insurance issuer offering such coverage does not enroll any individual in such coverage if the first effective date of coverage is on or after the first day of Y1. [Y1 = first year of ObamaCare]
(2) LIMITATION ON CHANGES IN TERMS OR CONDITIONS- Subject to paragraph (3) and except as required by law, the issuer does not change any of its terms or conditions, including benefits and cost-sharing, from those in effect as of the day before the first day of Y1.
Such plans, by design, will die out, and quickly.
When Obama announces that you can 'keep your existing plan' he is technically correct. But as a practical matter such plans will no longer be viable.
Your only option under ObamaCare is to get a plan that is authorized by the govt 'Health Exchange':
SEC. 121. COVERAGE OF ESSENTIAL BENEFITS PACKAGE.
a) In General- A qualified health benefits plan shall provide coverage that at least meets the benefit standards adopted under section 124 for the essential benefits package described in section 122 for the plan year involved.
SEC. 123. HEALTH BENEFITS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
(a) Establishment-
(1) IN GENERAL- There is established a private-public advisory committee which shall be a panel of medical and other experts to be known as the Health Benefits Advisory Committee to recommend covered benefits and essential, enhanced, and premium plans.
(b) Duties-
(1) RECOMMENDATIONS ON BENEFIT STANDARDS- The Health Benefits Advisory Committee shall recommend to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this subtitle referred to as the `Secretary') benefit standards (as defined in paragraph (4)), and periodic updates to such standards. In developing such recommendations, the Committee shall take into account innovation in health care and consider how such standards could reduce health disparities.
(a) Process for Adoption of Recommendations-
(1) REVIEW OF RECOMMENDED STANDARDS- Not later than 45 days after the date of receipt of benefit standards recommended under section 123 (including such standards as modified under paragraph (2)(B)), the Secretary shall review such standards and shall determine whether to propose adoption of such standards as a package.
(2) DETERMINATION TO ADOPT STANDARDS- If the Secretary determines--
(A) to propose adoption of benefit standards so recommended as a package, the Secretary shall, by regulation under section 553 of title 5, United States Code, propose adoption such standards; or
(B) not to propose adoption of such standards as a package, the Secretary shall notify the Health Benefits Advisory Committee in writing of such determination and the reasons for not proposing the adoption of such recommendation and provide the Committee with a further opportunity to modify its previous recommendations and submit new recommendations to the Secretary on a timely basis.
(a) In General- A qualified health benefits plan shall provide coverage that at least meets the benefit standards adopted under section 124 for the essential benefits package described in section 122 for the plan year involved.
(1) REQUIRED OFFERING OF BASIC PLAN- The entity offers only one basic plan for such service area.
(2) OPTIONAL OFFERING OF ENHANCED PLAN- If and only if the entity offers a basic plan for such service area, the entity may offer one enhanced plan for such area.
(3) OPTIONAL OFFERING OF PREMIUM PLAN- If and only if the entity offers an enhanced plan for such service area, the entity may offer one premium plan for such area.
(4) OPTIONAL OFFERING OF PREMIUM-PLUS PLANS- If and only if the entity offers a premium plan for such service area, the entity may offer one or more premium-plus plans for such area.
All such plans may be offered under a single contract with the Commissioner.
(c) Specification of Benefit Levels for Plans-
(1) IN GENERAL- The Commissioner shall establish the following standards consistent with this subsection and title I:
(A) BASIC, ENHANCED, AND PREMIUM PLANS- Standards for 3 levels of Exchange-participating health benefits plans: basic, enhanced, and premium (in this division referred to as a `basic plan', `enhanced plan', and `premium plan', respectively).
Items to note from the above:
So basically there will be 3 plans, all of which must be approved by the govt, with benefits dictated by a govt committee.