Insurers To Follow Some “ObamaCare” Provisions Regardless of SCOTUS

UnitedHealth announced today that no matter how the Supreme Court rules on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, it will continue to implement some of the important consumer protections the ACA requires.  California leaders have stated their support for continuing to implement reform in the state, but UnitedHealth and Human are first, but hopefully not last, insurer to make such an announcement.

Among the provisions that UnitedHealth will keep are:
* No more rescissions
* No more lifetime limits
* Allowing young adults to stay on their parents’ coverage up to age 26
* Free prevention and wellness

We anticipate that the Supreme Court will uphold the law in full, so we expect this announcement will be moot. Unless the Supreme Court takes the radical and breathtakingly extreme position of striking down the entire law, the consumer protections cited will continue, even if one provision is struck down and needs to be fixed.

Ultimately, it’s best for consumers to have the longtime security provided by the federal law, rather than the voluntary agreement to abide by some but not all consumer protections. United is not agreeing to other consumer protections, from no denials for pre-existing conditions to ensuring the premium dollars go to patient care rather than administration and profit.

Click here for full coverage of this announcement from UnitedHealth and Humana.

The Supreme Court is expected to announce their decision sometime this month.  

Health Access California promotes quality, affordable health care for all Californians.