Six-week Extension Until March 31, 2014

Online, December 18, 2013 (Newswire.com) - As technical problems with the Healthcare.Gov website are corrected, more time is alloted to fully understand the new law and to sign up thus avoiding penalties. Lawmakers are calling for a one-year delay in the penalties most Americans will face starting next year if they remain uninsured. Under this change, individuals who sign up by the end of open enrollment season on March 31 will not face a penalty.

The majority of people asked didnt even know that previously February 15 was the deadline, guaranteeing that your coverage would take effect March 1, in order to avoid fines for being uninsured. More education is sorely needed. The administration set the first open enrollment period under the law from Oct. 1-March 31. Why the 15th? Health insurance coverage typically starts on the first day of a given month, and it takes up to 15 days to process applications. That being said, start dates for coverage can be riskiy business for those expecting immediacy. Understanding the detail and planning accordingly is important.

While the mandate to carry health insurance is an unpopular requirement of the health care law, it serves to help keep premiums in check, forbids insurers from turning away people with health problems. Sucess to some degree is dependant on the need to sign up healthy uninsured people. The Obama administration released an analysis that concludes nearly half of uninsured single young adults could buy a bronze level plan for $50 or less a month, after tax credits.

CONSUMER PROTECTIONS RECAP

Prohibiting Discrimination Due to Pre-Existing Conditions or Gender.  The law implements strong reforms that prohibit insurance companies from refusing to sell coverage or renew policies because of an individual's pre-existing conditions. Also, in the individual and small group market, the law eliminates the ability of insurance companies to charge higher rates due to gender or health status. Effective January 1, 2014.

Eliminating Annual Limits on Insurance Coverage. The law prohibits new plans and existing group plans from imposing annual dollar limits on the amount of coverage an individual may receive. Effective January 1, 2014.

Ensuring Coverage for Individuals Participating in Clinical Trials. Insurers will be prohibited from dropping or limiting coverage because an individual chooses to participate in a clinical trial.  Applies to all clinical trials that treat cancer or other life-threatening diseases. Effective January 1, 2014.

ABOUT UNDERSTANDEXPO.COM

2013 Philadelphia Healthcare Reform Expo & Summit will be a historic meeting of providers, public servants and private industry. A percentage of the proceeds from the Summit will be donated to the community.  The Healthcare Expo is formulated to educate individuals, employees, businesses and healthcare professionals about the Patient Accountability and Affordable Care Act.  The following professionals will be participating: Healthcare Professionals - Physicians, Care Providers & Administrators;  Top-level researchers & members of the scientific community;  Pharmaceutical executives and representatives and executives and representatives from the health care system.We hope to open ongoing dialogue that will bridge the divide between the perceptions and realities that will soon impact healthcare, a situation complicated by social-economic and environmental factors. While employer mandate may have been delayed , other changes under the Patient Accountability and Affordable Care Act could be critical to your understanding. The mission of the Summit is to provide a venue for forming partnerships that will actively inform and change health behaviors from reactive to proactive and move healthcare delivery from acute to preventative. The Summit will focus on understanding the new laws and how each demographic can make the best decisions on managing healthcare costs.