One of the supposed great benefits of this health care bill, HR #4872, is that starting in 2014, pre-existing conditions & rescission will be made illegal.
However, there is some articles claiming these customer protections are bogus, insofar as a health care insurer could still do rescission existing customers or deny existing customer for pre-existing conditions because
1 No strong enforcement - firedoglake http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2010/03/22/signed-sealed-but-not-delivered-six-big-flaws-need-fixing-to-make-new-law-meaningful-health-care-reform/
My sense is that without strong regulation, a sick broke consumer will not get justice, fighting a health ins co & its army of lawyers.
or
2 Weak fine on health ins co, will be viewed as "cost of doing business" http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/3/22/849097/-want-to-improve-the-ban-on-pre-existing-conditions
This article claims Michael Moore claims the ins co fine is $100/day. So for costly treatments, such as cancer, an ins co could just say wait 1 year for the patient to day, & pay the $36.5K fine, as opposed to the $50K or $200K or whatever cost of actual health care treatment.
There was another article (don't recall source) claiming this fine was a flat $5K.
I've not been able to figure this out. I searched online. I called my House Rep, & Public Citizen. In each case the operator transferred me to the relevant "expert", which went directly to voicemail.
Do any of you know? If so could you indicate whether
1 the illegalizing of pre-existing conditions & rescissions is true or bogus?
2 Point to the specific page nbr(s) of the bill with the relevant evidence, along with a url link to said bill
Pls drop knowledge in the comments.
