I started a new job a few months ago and got health insurance through them. I’ve been getting treatment for some chronic physical issues and mental health. If the ACA gets repealed, can my insurance deny me coverage for those conditions? Would I be stuck at this job forever if that happened?
Check the pinned post for info on how the ACA repeal might affect insurance.
Back before the ACA, if you switched jobs but didn’t have a gap in coverage, your new insurance would still cover existing conditions. For example, I had hypertension at my old job, and when I switched, it was still covered.
But things can be different now, and who knows what the rules will look like if the ACA is repealed.
@Hale
The bigger issue wasn’t about people moving between jobs with insurance. It was about those who didn’t get insurance through work. They could lose their job due to health problems like cancer and end up completely stuck, no job, no insurance, and no way to get it. Private insurance used to reject people or charge insane premiums for pre-existing conditions.
@Hale
I think it was called HIPAA creditable coverage or something like that for group plans back then.
The ACA ensures no caps and no denying coverage for pre-existing conditions. Before that, private insurance could refuse to cover you or cut you off entirely. My brother had cancer, and his insurance dropped him after he hit their $2 million cap. He had to go on Medicare and Medicaid, and he didn’t survive long after.
People need to start contacting their elected officials to push back on this. If enough people speak out, it can make a difference. Even doctors, who originally disliked the paperwork, now see the ACA as essential. Let’s not let them gut it silently.
Before the ACA, there were no out-of-pocket caps, and insurers could deny coverage for pre-existing conditions. Big employers usually didn’t deny claims, but you could still end up bankrupt from medical bills. Self-employed folks? Forget about it, they either couldn’t get insurance or got dropped the moment they got sick.
Before the ACA, if you lost coverage for more than 30-60 days, any existing condition wasn’t covered by new insurance for at least 12 months. Insurance plans also had lifetime maximums, $1 million was common. It included everything: deductibles, copays, and coinsurance.
It depends on what replaces the ACA. Pre-ACA, many policies covered pre-existing conditions if there were no gaps in coverage, but some imposed limits or waiting periods. States also had varying rules.
I don’t expect things to go back to how they were before ACA. It’ll probably be worse. Even if you’ve had consistent insurance, you could be out of luck depending on what changes are made.
Yeah, you could be stuck in a job just to keep insurance. But in smaller companies, higher premiums could lead to them finding a way to let you go. COBRA only lasts 18 months, and your next insurance might not cover anything pre-existing. Fun times! Or, you could marry someone from a country with universal healthcare and move there.
During the contract period of your plan, the insurance is obligated to stick to the terms. But when the contract ends, like during open enrollment, they can make changes based on any new laws or regulations.
Your plan would likely stay the same until the end of the year. After that, during open enrollment, they could make changes. There’s no ‘grandfathering’ to keep you locked into the same plan indefinitely.
@Blackely
Yeah, that’s exactly what I was worried about.
They can’t repeal the ACA without a supermajority. Democrats won’t allow it.
Gray said:
They can’t repeal the ACA without a supermajority. Democrats won’t allow it.
Republicans control both chambers, though. Last time, John McCain’s ‘no’ vote stopped the repeal.
Gray said:
They can’t repeal the ACA without a supermajority. Democrats won’t allow it.
Actually, they can repeal it without a supermajority. They can change the filibuster rule with a simple majority or use budget reconciliation, like last time when McCain’s vote stopped them. The Supreme Court could also chip away at it.
Gray said:
They can’t repeal the ACA without a supermajority. Democrats won’t allow it.
The GOP has been against the ACA for years. If you think they’ll hold back because of tradition or rules, I’ve got a bridge to sell you. They’ll do whatever it takes.
I don’t think anything major will happen to the ACA. Even Trump didn’t fully repeal it during his term. That said, there are new charges being added to Medicare that are pushing up costs for private insurance. It’s frustrating, and we should push back on those instead.
You’ll be covered while you’re at your job, but if you switch, they can deny coverage for pre-existing conditions.
It’s all about HIPAA. As long as you don’t have more than a 60-day lapse in coverage, you should be fine.