Posted on 12/18/2011 1:31:27 PM PST by freespirited
Seeking to defuse a potential showdown over a key part of the new healthcare law, the Obama administration moved Friday to let states, rather than the federal government, define which medical benefits insurance companies will have to offer consumers starting in 2014.
That allows state leaders to retain more control of health insurance even as the law extends a new federal guarantee that all Americans can get coverage, even if they are sick.
"This is significantly more state-flexible and friendly than many would have expected," said Alan Weil, head of the National Academy for State Heath Policy.
It remains unclear, however, whether the administration's efforts to shift responsibility for a critical part of the law onto states will ease its implementation or control rising costs, a major threat to the new law.
The law creates Internet-based insurance exchanges in 2014 where Americans who don't have job-based coverage will be able to buy health insurance much as they now comparison shop for airline tickets.
Insurers selling plans in these state-based exchanges must cover a basic set of benefits, including hospitalizations, emergency care, newborn and maternity care and pediatric services. The law gave the Department of Health and Human Services the authority to decide how generous those benefits should be....
Under the guidance issued Friday, state leaders can define their own set of benefits by using an existing major health plan in their state as a benchmark.
That means that some states may require insurers to cover services such as chiropractic therapy or in vitro fertilization, while others may not. The rules will not affect co-payments, cost sharing and deductibles, which play a major role in determining premiums.
(Excerpt) Read more at articles.latimes.com ...
Bullcrap.
He’s issuing guidelines.
They can change guidelines on a whim.
They are not THE LAW THAT WAS PASSED.
She recused herself from the AZ immigration law, not ratcare.
It’s like he’s just making this crap up as he goes along.
He has the power right now to effectively cancel the elections next year, wouldn’t surprise me one damn bit if he did...
that’s what I thought....
With ANYTHING Obama, there should NEVER be ANY compromise, EVER.
FUBO.......
The list, Ping
Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list
It’s still unconstitutional.
He knows it. This is his way to try to get it passed the Supreme Court.
What a mess.
My bad.Wrong case...
Supreme Court Will Hear SB1070 Case, Justice Kagan Is Recused
http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/sb1070s.pdf
Exactly.
“Motivated by political considerations to be sure.”
EXACTLY! So typical of the Leftist mindset.
Isn’t nobama special and aren’t we lucky...the embarrassment-in-chief is “letting” states...
Isn’t there a Constitution anymore??????
Lipstick on a pig, is still a pig. You would think he would at least be starting to get a glimmer of understanding that we are not as stupid as he thinks. Or, he simply doesn’t care.
“but ONE NATIONAL ID CARD per person is one of them.”
Right out of the “insurance” fascist lobby playbook. Have a “proof of insurance” insurance automobile ID?
Backdoor bank backers bailout.
federal gov’t giveth, federal gov’t can just as easily take it away
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