Here are some changes that are now in effect:
· Require co-pays or co-insurance for preventive services.
· Cap lifetime benefits. (Caps of $1 million to $2 million are now common.)
· Cancel or rescind a policy, except in cases of fraud.
· Refuse to cover pre-existing conditions in children.
In addition, parents in many health plans can keep their young-adult children covered until the age of 26, unless the child gets a job that offers health coverage.
The scope and timing of the changes, however, depends on the type of plan. Some of these changes don’t take effect until Jan. 1, 2011. Other plans are gr andfathered, and exempt from the changes. For up-to-date information on the new reforms, go to www.insurance.wa.gov and click on the health reform icon.
