The Affordable Care Act's Protections for Consumers and Small Businesses
<p>Last month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued proposed regulations that flesh out the details of the Affordable Care Act's health insurance market reforms. In a <a href="/blog/2012/health-insurance-market-regulations-under-affordable-care-act-protections-consumers-and">new blog post,</a> Sara Collins, Ph.D., vice president for Affordable Health Insurance at The Commonwealth Fund, outlines how these reforms will provide sweeping new protections to small businesses and people who buy health coverage on their own. </p><p>The new reforms prohibit insurers from denying coverage, refusing to renew coverage, or charging people more based on preexisting health conditions or gender. The reforms also place limits on the degree to which insurers are able to vary premiums based on age or tobacco use. And they require that insurers charge premiums that reflect the claims experience of everyone enrolled in all the health plans they offer in a state market. </p>
<p>Visit <a href="~/link.aspx?_id=0B67ACA7A5CB453CB876F3DB59E19448&_z=z">The Commonwealth Fund Blog</a> to read more about the new consumer protections. </p>