Nestor_Kelebay
Emperor Penguin
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2009
- Messages
- 1,844
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This evening, your House of Representatives passed legislation. They call it "comprehensive health care reform", but I've only heard bits and pieces of what's in the new law. What I've heard is that the new law:
1. prevents health insurance companies from denying your claim because you had a "pre-existing medical condition". I think that means that insurance companies will want every new customer to go through a complete physical before being accepted as a client.
2. that children will be covered under their parent's health insurance until they reach the age of 26 if they aren't covered by their own health insurance.
3. that companies can shop for medical insurance for their employees from underwriters anywhere in the US, not just within their own state.
I'm wondering how this law about pre-existing medical conditions applies in a case like lung cancer from exposure to asbestos. If a person goes to their doctor because a persistant cough has now turned into coughing up blood, and that turns out to be lung cancer from exposure to asbestos decades earlier, when does the "pre-existing medical condition" come into existance? When that person was first exposed to asbestos, when he/she was first medically affected by it, or when they were diagnosed with cancer? Lung diseases like Mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos can take decades to develop, and there's no know safe exposure threshold. So, theoretically, at least, a person can inhale asbestos fibers because they were standing downwind of a gravel road and come down with lung cancer 20, 30 or 40 years later.
The concensus of opinion seems to be that we're all individuals and each of us has a different susceptibility to exposure to asbestos. Some of us are more resistant to the stuff than others. So, did the old rules mean that insurance companies could avoid paying on claims simply by saying that the claimant had a pre-existing medical condition in that he/she had been exposed to asbestos 40 years ago, and that their fate had been determined then? In that case, the insurance company could deny any and all claims for asbestos related diseases by claiming the client had a "pre-existing medical condition" for the past 40 years.
Also, they were saying on TV that this new comprehensive health care reform would prevent government money being used to pay for abortions. I know abortion is a sensitive topic because of the religious implications, but I think that in many cases, abortion is the most practical alternative. Simply not providing funding for abortions in cases like that is ignoring the problem exists, and forcing some women to give birth to children they don't want and aren't able to properly care for.
Does anyone know what else is in this new health care reform law? How is it going to affect you guys' daily lives?
1. prevents health insurance companies from denying your claim because you had a "pre-existing medical condition". I think that means that insurance companies will want every new customer to go through a complete physical before being accepted as a client.
2. that children will be covered under their parent's health insurance until they reach the age of 26 if they aren't covered by their own health insurance.
3. that companies can shop for medical insurance for their employees from underwriters anywhere in the US, not just within their own state.
I'm wondering how this law about pre-existing medical conditions applies in a case like lung cancer from exposure to asbestos. If a person goes to their doctor because a persistant cough has now turned into coughing up blood, and that turns out to be lung cancer from exposure to asbestos decades earlier, when does the "pre-existing medical condition" come into existance? When that person was first exposed to asbestos, when he/she was first medically affected by it, or when they were diagnosed with cancer? Lung diseases like Mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos can take decades to develop, and there's no know safe exposure threshold. So, theoretically, at least, a person can inhale asbestos fibers because they were standing downwind of a gravel road and come down with lung cancer 20, 30 or 40 years later.
The concensus of opinion seems to be that we're all individuals and each of us has a different susceptibility to exposure to asbestos. Some of us are more resistant to the stuff than others. So, did the old rules mean that insurance companies could avoid paying on claims simply by saying that the claimant had a pre-existing medical condition in that he/she had been exposed to asbestos 40 years ago, and that their fate had been determined then? In that case, the insurance company could deny any and all claims for asbestos related diseases by claiming the client had a "pre-existing medical condition" for the past 40 years.
Also, they were saying on TV that this new comprehensive health care reform would prevent government money being used to pay for abortions. I know abortion is a sensitive topic because of the religious implications, but I think that in many cases, abortion is the most practical alternative. Simply not providing funding for abortions in cases like that is ignoring the problem exists, and forcing some women to give birth to children they don't want and aren't able to properly care for.
Does anyone know what else is in this new health care reform law? How is it going to affect you guys' daily lives?
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