Healthcare Reform

New Law will help inform consumers about health insurance
Many consumers have health insurance plans and don’t even understand what half of the policy even means. Health insurance consumers are often challenged when trying to understand their coverage options. Trying to obtain information in order to make an informed decision is hard when a consumer doesn’t understand any of the terms of the policy.
A survey released early this year reports that coverage is beyond comprehension for most consumers. Approximately 75% of consumers don’t understand their coverage or how it works. Because of this, Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut have introduced the informed Consumer Choices in Health Care Act of 2009. This act requires the development of information resources and consistent standards for insurance definitions. Many insurance policies have the same key terms but may mean something different to each carrier or plan. The development of information resources will coverage facts labels that will provide data to consumers and providers on everything needed to know and understand a policy.
This law will help to create an office within the Department of Health and Human Services called the Office of Health Insurance Oversight. This office will collect key data about health insurance as well as improve the transparency of private health insurance carriers.
Due to the amount of money consumers spend each year on health insurance coverage, the least they should receive in return is the resources needed to make an informed decision about the future of their health.
For more resources to make an informed decision about your healthcare, go to http://affordablehealth-insurance.org.