House passes health care bill on 219-212 vote

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Does anyone actually think that the bill as it stands now will be implemented any time soon? I certainly don't, other than some of the immediate changes. We're (on both sides) getting all excited over something that's going to be very different in practice than in action.

Everything that I have seen/read has been very clear that some provisions (like those concerning pre-existing conditions and children staying covered until 26) will be effective within 6 months, while others will not go into effect until 2014 or later.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Everything that I have seen/read has been very clear that some provisions (like those concerning pre-existing conditions and children staying covered until 26) will be effective within 6 months, while others will not go into effect until 2014 or later.

I think that most people who are freaking out about this one way or the other expect changes to be made right away, other than the ones that we were discussing up thread (like the lifetime caps and age limits). A lot of people, unless they actually read, don't understand that it takes a while for laws to go into effect. It's kind of like how a certain contingent expected the economy to improve on January 21 of last year.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

I think that most people who are freaking out about this one way or the other expect changes to be made right away, other than the ones that we were discussing up thread (like the lifetime caps and age limits). A lot of people, unless they actually read, don't understand that it takes a while for laws to go into effect. It's kind of like how a certain contingent expected the economy to improve on January 21 of last year.

So true. Sometimes people (on all sides of many issues) are so busy reacting and complaining as loudly as possible that they don't take to time to pay attention.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Everything that I have seen/read has been very clear that some provisions (like those concerning pre-existing conditions and children staying covered until 26) will be effective within 6 months, while others will not go into effect until 2014 or later.

I've also enjoyed reading people's comments on other sites about not getting insurance until they get sick and THEN getting insurance because they can't get refused because of the pre-existing condition clause now being outlawed. People need to read the wording in the bill. It does NOT restrict insurance companies from excluding coverage from pre-existing conditions in all cases. There are time limits imposed. You can't get a diagnosis today and run out tomorrow and buy insurance. That is not legal. (even in 2014.)

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

Right..as long as they are a dependent AND a student.

Some places and some insurances have a stipulation that the moment the sudent is making an income, they are no longer considered a 'covered dependent'.

FULL TIME student, not just a student. I've had co-workers' whose kids dropped a class which put them below full time and the kid lost insurance for the rest of that year. We have to provide proof every term that the kid is enrolled full time. That eliminates the possibility of working part time and going to school part time too.

I believe I can only cover my kids through age 22 currently.

The coverage given by college health plans, in my experience, is pretty awful.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by AGDee

FULL TIME student, not just a student. I've had co-workers' whose kids dropped a class which put them below full time and the kid lost insurance for the rest of that year. We have to provide proof every term that the kid is enrolled full time. That eliminates the possibility of working part time and going to school part time too.

I believe I can only cover my kids through age 22 currently.

The coverage given by college health plans, in my experience, is pretty awful.

Exactly...Full Time is the operative phrase. I also remember having to get a letter from my dean in med school every year for my mom's insurance because they didn't believe I was still in school. It was such a hassle. The last year I was in school, I turned 25 and had to buy insurance. I bought insurance through AOII (they offered a plan back then) because the school policy was too expensive for my $9000 a year budget.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by AGDee

FULL TIME student, .

Thank you thank you!!! That's what I meant to add!

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by AGDee

FULL TIME student, not just a student. I've had co-workers' whose kids dropped a class which put them below full time and the kid lost insurance for the rest of that year. We have to provide proof every term that the kid is enrolled full time. That eliminates the possibility of working part time and going to school part time too.

I believe I can only cover my kids through age 22 currently.

The coverage given by college health plans, in my experience, is pretty awful.

I had a good experience with student health insurance; I do remember my parents filling out the waiver forms each year before I aged out, but now that can be done online in about 5 minutes so even that's not that big of a hassle.

At least at my graduate school, they had basic insurance (for relatively healthy people who needed an entry-level plan) and a comprehensive plan (for people with conditions that needed more attention), and neither of them were so expensive. Their deductibles were high, but that's based on the fact that graduate students tend to be a low-risk population. Even if I had found Columbia's insurance to be unaffordable, my undergrad's alumni association offered low-cost medical insurance for recent graduates. (Hell, my life and renter's insurance is through them now!)

My whole point wasn't to dissect all student health insurance plans, just to point out that the age limit extension isn't all that groundbreaking since some form of it already applies in most states regardless of whether or not you're a full time student.