June and July have been very busy with news about the Affordable Care Act.
Midwest Dental Sleep Center has been following the provisions of PPACA (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) for several years. As more information comes available each day, we are working diligently to ensure each patient is receiving the maximum care they deserve.
The first impact we saw was the elimination of Lifetime Maximums for Essential Health Benefits. Previously, plans could limit the benefit they would reimburse for. Oftentimes, we found that patients were left financially obligated for treatment because of the small amount insurance companies would allocate for these services. Since the Lifetime Maximum has been prohibited, many patients are now able to receive the treatment they need.
The second impact we saw was the elimination of pre-existing clauses. This has helped many of our patients gain coverage with individual insurance plans that are affordable and cover Oral Appliance Therapy with no waiting period. Another impact we saw was the allowance of dependents to remain covered on their parents' plan until age 26. Since Oral Appliance Therapy is generally recommended for individuals over the age of 18, we saw young adults with OSA who were left untreated due to the financial burden of being uninsured/under-insured. In 2010, PPACA provisions enabled many dependents, like college-bound students, to keep their coverage and receive the care they needed.
Many more changes are forthcoming, such as the elimination of lifetime maximums on policies as a whole, deductible maximums, and insurance exchanges at the state level. If you have questions about your coverage, please call our office and we will be happy to help.