On May 16th, ACI, along with the US Department of Health and Human Services, Region II, hosted a lively and informative presentation on the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA). Barry Klitsberg, Administration on Community Living and Frank Winter, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, spoke about how the new federal health care insurance program will affect those currently receiving Medicare and Medicaid.
Colleen Roche, ACI’s Board of Trustees Chair, attended the program and had this to say about it:
Obamacare, PPACA, ACA, universal healthcare-no matter what you call it, everyone knows there will be some fairly significant changes in the way we access healthcare services and the insurance we use to pay for them headed our way in the near future. Passed in 2010, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is slowly being implemented throughout the nation. Health insurance “marketplaces,” (mechanisms to allow uninsured individuals, and those who may be unhappy with their current coverage, to purchase their insurance at more affordable rates based on their healthcare needs) will be introduced this fall and become operational beginning in 2014. On May 16, The Alliance Center for Independence (ACI), known for its diverse health and wellness programming, hosted an ACA question and answer session with guest speakers Frank Winter (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) and Barry Klitsberg (Administration on Community Living)
The session opened with a brief overview of the Affordable Care Act with an emphasis on how implementation of the Act will impact people with disabilities highlighting the following:
- What is the Affordable Care Act?
- What an insurance marketplace IS.
- What an insurance marketplace IS NOT.
- How will this insurance differ from private plans, Medicaid and Medicare.
- Who is eligible to enroll for coverage under these plans.
- Steps un/underinsured individuals can take now to get ready for the insurance marketplace.
- What is the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies Competitive Bidding Program, and how will affect suppliers and consumers in New Jersey.
- How the ACA affects preventative care, prescription drugs, insurance caps, long-term care supports and services and pre-existing conditions.
The audience was not at a loss for words when the floor was opened for questions. How, if at all, will the ACA affect my benefits and the-who, what, where, when and how of signing up for health insurance emerged as the two most common concerns raised. Colleen Roche, a healthcare advocate, was pleased ACI hosted the event and said, "The United States is the only industrialized nation that doesn’t provide some sort of universal healthcare to its citizens, about 20% of us are uninsured and, as nation, we rank just 37th in overall health outcomes despite spending more per person on healthcare than most other nations. Something has to change. It was great to hear from CMS and ACL representatives today on this important issue as it relates to the disabled community. As the ACA is implemented, it will impact everyone differently, and I think it’s important for us to have our questions answered “live” by people who know the ACA inside and out. As someone who pays a high monthly premium for my current health insurance, these changes can’t come soon enough.
More information on health insurance marketplaces can be found at healthcare.gov. If you would like copies of handouts from the workshop, please contact the ACI.
