What’s in the Health Care Law for You – Today

Many families across Hawai‘i already know how the new health care law, the Affordable Care Act, is helping them. They’ve been able to maintain health care coverage for their college-age children, or buy health insurance after being previously labeled “uninsurable.” Many more have obtained discounts on expensive prescription drugs.

Still, you may be wondering, What’s in the new health care law for me?

AARP’s Health Law Guide, www.aarp.org/healthlawguide, can create a personalized report that tells you how the law will help you. If you are uninsured, your report will identify coverage you may be eligible to receive.

Because different parts of the law will go into effect over a number of years, it’s a good idea to learn about the changes that are in store for you this year. In addition to providing your personalized report, the AARP Health Law Guide can help you stay on top of the law as it is implemented.

A few changes you may appreciate right now:

1. If you’re at risk of reaching the Medicare Part D doughnut hole—the threshold at which you’re responsible for a higher portion of your drug costs — you will receive a 50 percent discount on brand-name drugs and a 14 percent discount on generic drugs while you’re in the coverage gap.
2. If you have Medicare, you can receive preventive care services such as mammograms, immunizations and screenings for cancer and diabetes, as well as an annual wellness visit, at no cost to you. If private insurers consider you “high-risk” due to prior or current health problems, and if you have been uninsured for at least six months, you may buy insurance through the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PHIP). For more information go to http://aarp.us/wPdv2k.
3. If you have an uninsured adult child under age 26, you may be able to add him/her to your family’s existing insurance plan.
4. If you get sick, you will not lose your coverage as long as you continue to pay the premiums.

Whether you currently have health coverage or not, it’s important to get the facts about how the law could impact your situation. In less than five minutes, AARP’s Health Law Guide can help you figure out how the new law benefits you and your family, how the law works with your current coverage, and what other health coverage may be available.