Events celebrate two years of better healthcare for Women and Children
March 20, 2012 LANSING, MI –Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act two years ago, children can no longer be dropped from their insurance coverage because they have a pre-existing condition. In addition women and children now receive preventative services with no co-pay. In Michigan alone over 1.8 million people have seen their private insurance plan add coverage of preventive services without cost sharing thanks to the Affordable Care Act.
“The ACA will end discriminatory practices against women. No longer will women be charged higher rates for health insurance, just because they are women. No longer will women be denied healthcare coverage because of a pre-existing condition.” Said Sarah Scranton, the Director of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Michigan. “In the past, some health insurers have claimed that pregnancy or being a survivor of domestic violence is a pre-existing condition, but the ACA puts a stop to that.”
The healthcare law requires insurance companies to cover additional preventive health benefits for women including: Well-woman visits; Gestational diabetes screening; HPV DNA testing; STI counseling, and HIV screening and counseling; Contraception and contraceptive counseling; Breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling and Domestic violence screening.
Heather Scott, who attended the press conference with her 2-year-old son, said she is relieved that the Affordable Care Act protects her son from any discrimination based on pre-existing conditions. “My son just turned two last week and though he has been lucky enough to remain healthy we know a number of children his age who have not been so fortunate.” Said Scott, “Fortunately, thanks to the Affordable Care Act they will be able to remain on their families insurance plan and cannot be kicked off simply for being sick.”
“The Affordable Care Act is putting women back in control of their – and their family’s – health care,” said U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Regional Director, Kenneth Munson. “Among other benefits, the health care law has ensured that more than 20 million women have received preventive services, such as mammograms and cervical cancer screenings, without a co-pay, including over 1.8 million women right here in Michigan. It bans insurance companies from imposing lifetime dollar limits on health benefits, which means that 977,000 children and over 1 million women in Michigan are free from worrying about lifetime limits on coverage. And it allows moms to keep their children on their health plan until their child’s 26th birthday which means over 57,000 young adults in Michigan have gained insurance coverage.”
Affordable Care Act Impact on Michigan:
The following numerical facts show how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has benefitted large numbers of Americans and in particular people living in Michigan.
Medicare
Number of people with Medicare who saved money on prescription drugs:
National Total: 3,489,077 (Men: 1,491,681 and Women: 1,997,396)
Michigan Total: 84,168 (Men: 36,452 and Women: 47,716)
Cumulative Savings:
National: $2,111,247,499
Michigan: $48,999,065
Preventative Services
How many people with Medicare have received Preventative Services thanks to the ACA law:
National Total: 32,501,561 (Men: 13,313,609 and Women: 19,187,946)
Michigan Total: 1,123,354 (Men: 471,564 and Women: 651,791)
How many people's Private Insurance has added coverage of Preventive Services without cost sharing thanks to the ACA health reform:
National Total: 54,004,000 (Children: 14,075,000 Men: 19,499,000 and Women: 20,424,000)
Michigan Total: 1,849,000 (Children: 498,000 Men: 658,000 and Women: 692,000)
Insurance Reforms
Removing Lifetime Limits
How many people no longer have a Lifetime Limit on their health insurance plan thanks to the ACA law:
National Total: 105,164,000 (Men: 37,803,000 and Women: 39,534,000)
Michigan Total: 3,547,000 (Men: 1,255,000 and Women: 1,315,000)
Young Adult Coverage
How many more Young Adults (18–26 years old) have gained health insurance by being able to remain on their parent’s plan thanks to the ACA law:
National Total: 2,500,003
Michigan Total: 57,527
Medical Loss Ratio
How many people are receiving more health care with their premium dollar thanks to the new Medical Loss Ratio (80/20) rules that require insurance companies to spend at a minimum 80% on every premium dollar on health care and only 20% on administrative overhead, salaries and advertising, thanks to the ACA law:
National Total: 76,180,000
Michigan Total: 2,521,000
Pre-existing Conditions
How many people have gained coverage through the Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan created by the ACA law:
National Total: 48,879
Michigan Total: 789
New Federal Funding
Rate Review
How much new federal funding States have received to improve the Rate Review process of proposed insurance premium increases thanks to the ACA law:
National Total: $152,100,000
Michigan Total: $5,000,000
Insurance Exchange Implementation
How much new federal funding States have received to build the Insurance Exchanges thanks to the ACA law:
National Total: $925,500,256
Michigan Total: $10,849,077
Public Health
How much new federal funding States have received to improve Public Health thanks to the ACA law:
National Total: $1,197,700,000
Michigan Total: $21,800,000
Community Health Care Centers
How much new federal funding have Community Health Centers received thanks to the ACA law:
National Total: $1,653,800,000
Michigan Total: $41,300,000
Lonnie Scott
MI Communications Director
Know Your Care
Cell: 734-323-6028
Office: 734-485-9161
Know Your Care is a 501c3 organization dedicated to educating the American people about the Affordable Care Act’s life-saving consumer and patient protections that are already benefitting millions of Americans and will benefit millions more in the coming years as additional provisions are implemented.
SOURCES: For a complete description of the sources of these data, see Health Reform: Results in Your State
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