ACA repeal could also upend employer-sponsored health insurance, Health Affairs says
Pre-existing condition protections, covered preventative care and the opportunity for independent reviews of claim denials are all part of the law.
While a repeal of the Affordable Care Act could upend coverage for the millions insured by state and federal exchanges, the end of the ACA could also spell big changes for the 150 million people covered by employer-sponsored health plans, according to a Health Affairs report.
For starters, the ACA mandated that insurers could no longer deny coverage on the basis of pre-existing conditions. Employers also couldn't impose waiting periods for coverage. Before the ACA, a new hire might have to wait 12 months for coverage to kick in, or be forced to buy back time so coverage would start earlier.
Coverage for certain preventive care services could be on the chopping block as well. The law required new plans, including employer plans, to cover recommended preventive care without consumers having to share in the costs. For 71 million americans, this was a new benefit that meant they could get the screenings, immunizations and check-ups that could ward larger health issues before they started, without having to cough up hefty deductibles and copayments, Health Affairs said.
Annual out-of-pocket limits embedded in the law kept expenses under control, limiting what a consumer would have to pay each year; prohibitions on annual and lifetime limits kept employers from capping the amount of benefits an employee could use.
Finally, the report pointed out an employee's right to an independent review of a benefit or payment denial could disappear, whether their insurance is through a large employer or is self-funded. Before the ACA, the only employees entitled to such a review were those in insured plans, leaving those with self-funded plans little recourse except to engage in costly legal litigation.
All of these safeguards are in jeopardy as Republicans move forward with plans to repeal the ACA, Health Affairs said.
"You may want to pay attention to the prognostications of what's to become of the ACA. Your access to high-quality, affordable healthcare will depend on the outcome," Health Affairs said.
Twitter: @BethJSanborn
