Smart Benefits: Carriers Step Up No Matter What Supreme Court Says

Monday, June 18, 2012

Amy Gallagher, GoLocalProv Business/Health Expert

The Supreme Court is expected to release its ruling this week on healthcare reform. Meanwhile, 3 carriers have pledged to honor certain provisions of reform no matter what the decision.

This week, UnitedHealthcare, Humana and Aetna all announced that they will continue to honor certain preventive care provisions of healthcare reform already rolled out, even if the individual mandate is repealed by the Supreme Court – a decision on which is expected any day. And the move by these three carriers is expected to influence the industry and cause other insurers to follow suit.

Preventive Care Prevents Higher Costs

While parts of the healthcare reform law have been controversial, and hotly contested, the consensus is that the preventive care facets make sense for the consumers who receive the care – and for health insurers providing the coverage. That’s because it’s widely accepted that treating a well patient is less costly than treating a sick one. Early detection is an important element of keeping patients healthy, and free preventive care aids in improving access and affordability for everyone.

Carrier Coverage Commitments

According to their announcements, UnitedHealthcare and Humana will continue to offer:

Annual preventive visits and age appropriate health screenings (i.e. mammograms and colonoscopies) in full with no copays or deductibles
Dependent coverage to age 26
No lifetime limits on benefits
No rescission of coverage, except for fraud

And Aetna has announced it will honor dependent coverage to age 26.

None of the carriers have committed to covering pre-existing conditions. On that issue, United has stated that, to cover pre-existing conditions for children under age 19, it will want industry-wide agreement that all carriers do as well.

Free Contraception?

Separately this week, UnitedHealthcare announced the list of contraceptives it will cover in full to meet the provisions of healthcare reform which go into effect later this summer for plan years starting and renewing August 1, 2012.

There’s no word yet if UnitedHealthcare will honor this provision if the Supreme Court repeals healthcare reform since free contraception has been a contentious issue and at the core of the healthcare reform debate since its announcement in February.

Amy Gallagher has over 19 years of healthcare industry experience. As Vice President at Cornerstone Group, she advises large employers on long-term cost-containment strategies, consumer-driven solutions and results-driven wellness programs. Amy speaks regularly on a variety of healthcare-related topics, is a member of local organizations like the Rhode Island Business Group on Health, HRM-RI, SHRM, WELCOA, and the Rhode Island Business Healthcare Advisory Council, and participates in the Lieutenant Governor’s Health Benefits Exchange work group of the Health Care Reform Commission.

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Comments:

Gary Arnold

12:35pm on Monday, June 18, 2012

Thank you insurance carriers for your gracious offering to cover these added expenses. You did offer to cover these costs, didn't you?
You wouldn't think of adding these costs to the other policy holders?
I know you know RI will fork up the additional costs at the tax cost to the citizens.
Only in RI.