Obama and many other supporters of the Health Care Reform bill are often heard promising the American public that they will be able to keep their current health care if they want to.  Is that true?  Maybe.  Sort of.

Section 102(a) of the Health Care Reform Bill HR3200 addresses the right to keep your current health care if you have an individual health insurance plan.  If this is you, your plan will be "grandfathered."  In plain English, if you pay for your insurance out of your own pocket rather than it being provided through your employer, then most likely, this clause applies to you.  The few Americans who fall under this provision will be permitted to keep their current insurance coverage in tact and ungoverned by the new insurance requirements indefinitely.  In addition, they will be permitted to add their dependents to the plan, so if you have a baby, your baby can have your coverage too.   But, (isn't there always a but?) dependants will be the only new additions to these grandfathered coverages.  After the legislation goes into effect, no one new can purchase this coverage.  In addition, the insurance company will not be allowed to change the terms or conditions of the coverage, ever.  This means they can not add nor eliminate coverage.  If new technology or procedures emerge, you will not get them.  If new drugs, even generic drugs, become available, you will not get them.  On the up side, they also can not reduce your coverage.  This also means they can not change any cost-sharing aspect of the plan including deductibles, coinsurance, co-payments, and similar charges but does not include premiums.  If this clause applies to you, you must now ask yourself two questions:  (1) Are you comfortable with having an insurance plan that in 20 years will only provide coverage for outdated procedures and medications that may not even be available for purchase any longer and pay higher premiums for it? and (2) Will your insurance provider continue to be willing to offer your coverage if they can not increase your co-pays or if more and more people answer 'no' to question number one and cancel their coverage?

For most people, your health insurance coverage comes from your employer.  The politicians want you to think you can keep your current health insurance too.  However, that is only a half truth, or perhaps I should say a temporary truth. Section 102(b) of the reform bill offers you a Grace Period.  That is right, you do not get a grandfather clause, you get a Grace Period.  Is not a Grace Period usually a time of forgiveness?  I guess they are willing to forgive you for being naive enough to think you would be allowed to keep your health insurance, too.  Employment-Based Health plans will be subject to a 5 year grace period after which time they must comply with the government benefit requirements.  Mind you, those 5 years are maximum.  Your plan could be changed immediately and you will not have a say in the matter.

Is the right to keep your current coverage important to you?  Do you feel you will in actuality be granted that right, let alone given the opportunity to exercise it?

Do not, I implore you, take my interpretation of the bill, or anyone else's for that matter, as gospel! Read the text at:

http://thomas.loc.gov

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