In March of 2012, just a few weeks from now, the United States Supreme Court will hear arguments regarding the health care reform package that was passed by Congress last year. Health Insurance Sort has published an exclusive report, entitled Effect of the Individual Mandate, examining the portion of the law that would require Americans to obtain health insurance coverage. Several parts of the law have been challenged, but the main issue facing the Supreme Court is whether or not it is Constitutional to require Americans to purchase health insurance. If the individual mandate is found to be unconstitutional, will the rest of the health care reform law be viable? In the report, healthcare journalist Tammy Worth explores the potential effect of such a ruling by considering the problems that existed in the individual market prior to reform, and the ways in which reform was designed to combat them.
Worth revisits the primary purpose of the Affordable Care Act, which was designed to even the playing field in the individual market. The Act asserts that insurance companies adhere to new restrictions concerning guarantee issue, pre-existing conditions, and community rating. Guarantee issue means that insurers are required to provide coverage, regardless of health, age or other factors. Insurers will also no longer be able to deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions.
Finally, insurance companies will not be permitted to use community rating, in which groups are given the same rate based on risk pooling. In exchange, the insurers could count on the individual mandate, requiring that all Americans purchase health insurance. If the individual mandate is stripped, will the rest of the law have any impact?
The Health Insurance Sort report outlines the problems facing Americans who need to purchase health insurance in the individual market. Half of these individuals spent 10 percent or more of their income on health care, according to a 2009 report by The Commonwealth Fund. The report also addresses the challenges insurers face without a mandate, mainly instability, as individuals are free to enroll and quit at any time. The purpose of health care reform was to control costs and increase stability on both sides. Will this be achieved if the individual mandate is thrown out? The piece cites several experts on the topic, including representatives from the nation’s leading insurance companies and government organizations.
Will the remaining aspects of the law be viable on their own? How will premiums change for Americans who already have health insurance? Who will be affected most? Health Insurance Sort provides a clear and comprehensive assessment of the Affordable Care Act and what Americans can expect if the Supreme Court finds it unconstitutional.
Effect of the Individual Mandate is one of several exclusive reports published by Health Insurance Sort covering trending news in health care reform and the individual health insurance market.
HealthInsuranceSort.com has been committed to helping consumers find the best possible health insurance plans on the market since 2004. In addition to a wealth of information, HealthInsuranceSort.com provides a free quoting service which allows consumers to compare plans from multiple carriers serving their state.
For the latest on the individual mandate, and other health care industry news, visit HealthInsuranceSort’s blog, follow ‘@HealthInsSort’ on Twitter, or Find ‘HealthInsSort’ on Facebook.
