Premiums for pre-existing conditions - Coverage will be available as early as August 1.

HeartofSoul

Since this article applies to all cancers, Ive posted this on the most active cancer forums which include Breast, Colon, and Lung, & Head & Neck

The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan will start taking applications in every state by the end of the month. Coverage will be available as early as August 1.

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's new health coverage for uninsured Americans with health problems won't be cheap — premiums averaging $300 to $600 a month in the largest states, according to a government website that went live Thursday.

From cheaper to most expensive, premiums will range from a $140 a month to as much as $900, Richard Popper, deputy director of a new insurance office at the federal Health and Human Services department , said Wednesday.

1.Consumers shopping for health insurance can compare costs on a new federal website, www.healthcare.gov.

The range is so wide because premiums will be keyed to standard individual health insurance rates in each state, which can differ dramatically because of medical costs and the scope of coverage. Also, older people will pay more.

"There are going to be meaningful premiums that are going to be required to stay in this plan ... in the hundreds of dollars," said Popper, with the Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight.

Estimates on HealthCare.gov show premiums for a 50-year-old in Florida will be $552 to $675 a month; in New York the cost will average from $400 to $600; in Texas it's $491 to $600, and in Pennsylvania $283 on average. In many states, consumers can start enrolling immediately.

Coverage for pre-existing conditions
Despite the cost, consumer advocates are urging uninsured people with health problems to sign up soon, because they cannot be turned away for medical reasons. Family members may be able to help with premiums, which are competitive with rates paid by people who buy their coverage directly from an insurance company.

The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan will start taking applications in every state by the end of the month. Coverage will be available as early as August 1.

Consumers can go to the website to find out about the program, as well as other coverage options in their state, including government plans such as Medicaid, and private insurance. Starting this fall, the site will feature easy price and coverage comparisons among private plans. The new health care law called for the site, as a way to offer Americans one-stop shopping for coverage.

Twenty-nine states and Washington, D.C., will administer their own plans for people with pre-existing conditions. The federal government will run the program in the remaining 21 states.

The coverage is a stopgap for vulnerable people locked out of the private insurance market because of medical problems. It's intended to remain available until 2014, when core health care overhaul provisions take effect. At that time, insurers will be barred from turning away people in poor health, low- and middle-income households will get subsidized coverage, and most Americans will for the first time be required to carry health

To qualify for the pre-existing condition plan, people must be uninsured for at least six months and have been turned down for coverage by a private insurer because of a medical problem. U.S. citizens and legal residents are eligible.

Could funds run out?
The biggest question hanging over the program is whether the $5 billion allocated will be enough. Millions of people meet the basic qualifications for coverage, and technical experts who advise Congress and the administration have warned the funds could be exhausted as early as the end of 2011. HHS officials sidestepped questions about what would happen if the money runs out. One option is for the government to limit enrollment.
Popper estimated about 200,000 people would be enrolled in the program at any one time, but other HHS experts estimated that 375,000 would sign up this year, and the Congressional Budget Office says the total could reach 700,000 in 2013.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38040725/ns/health-health_care

Nana b

Thanks!

Thanks!

herdizziness

1500 dollar deductible and
1500 dollar deductible and there are co-pays as well, but I forgot that amount.

HeartofSoul

herdizziness said:

1500 dollar deductible and
1500 dollar deductible and there are co-pays as well, but I forgot that amount.

The costs of a cancer
The costs of a cancer diagnoses and treatment is very expensive. The $1500 deductibles yearly and small co pays ($20 to $40 for DR vist) barley graze the enormous costs of medical care we get. When speaking of the total care for dx of cancer, your looking at anywhere from $50,000 to over $250,000 depending on chemo cocktails used, radiation treatments, imaging scans, DR consultations, hospital costs incl procedures, lab work, referrals to other DR's, medications to treat symptoms related to chemo/rad such as procrit, neupogen, emend..... A one night stay at a hospital can be $2500 to $4500 a night for just the bed and occupation of room. Training for a medical oncologist for tuition, room, board, books and lab supplies varies depdending on if went to state college or private univ but its around $200,000+ for 8 years of training.

The cost of research and development for drugs and medical hardware to get approved by FDA
is very costly. Finding new cures is an extremely expensive and risky proposition, however. Estimates about the cost of developing a new drug vary widely, from a low of $800 million to nearly $2 billion per drug. Even the high end of those estimates may soon be considered a bargain. Recently, Pfizer announced that it is investing $800 million just for a set of Phase III trials for a single drug.

Overall, the discovery and development of a new medicine takes about 12 to 15 years

atrue

thank you so much for the
thank you so much for the info