Have been doing some digging this week on the future of healthcare plan changes for the upcoming 9/23 PPACA compliance requirement. I wanted to outline for everyone in California what the most likely scenario will be for your current and/or future healthcare plan. I expect the process to be generally uniform amongst the carriers.
As I understand it today (this is of course all subject to be changed), plans will be handled as follows for the 9/23 PPACA.
New Subscribers - new subscribers who purchase coverage on or after 9/23 will be purchasing healthcare coverage plans (not yet approved) which comply in full with the PPACA requirements. These plans will be fully compliant right from the start.
Existing Subscribers - existing subscribers, whether on a grandfathered healthcare plan (purchased prior to 3/23/10) or on a non-grandfathered healthcare plan will receive the PPACA compliant changes to their plan at the next renewal anniversary date of their plan. Anyone purchasing a plan between today and 9/22 start date will be considered an "existing subscriber". Example: a person purchased an Anthem Blue Cross SmartSense PPO plan on April 1, 2010. The plan renewal will be April 1, 2011 and at that time the PPACA benefit "enhancements" will be applied to that plan.
Group Subscribers - group health plans purchased after 9/23 will also be PPACA compliant. Plans purchased before 9/23 will be treated the same as existing subscribers on individual plans and benefits will be "enhanced" at the group open enrollment renewal month.
Certain PPACA plan changes will apply to all plans, regardless of grandfathered status. Other PPACA changes will only apply to plans which do not have grandfathered status.
9/23/10 What Happens To My California Healthcare Plan? You On Here » California , healthcare , PPACA , reform » 9/23/10 What Happens To My California Healthcare Plan?
