Because of the Affordable Care Act, for the first time starting January 2014, insurance companies will be prohibited from denying health coverage for the up to 129 million Americans – including up to 7.8 million adults and children in Florida – with pre-existing conditions, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Florida has the fourth highest number of individuals with pre-existing conditions, such as cancer, asthma or diabetes.

“This staggering number – 40 percent of Florida’s population – shows just how widespread the benefits of the Affordable Care Act are to Americans,” U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor said. “Insurance companies will no longer be able to charge higher premiums based on health status or health history, and this is one of several important patient protections that will build a quality health care system for our neighbors and provide economic security to our middle-class families.” 

Of the up to 7.8 million Floridians with pre-existing conditions, approximately 960,000 are children.

“Tina, a small business owner in my district recently wrote to me about the tough time she’s had finding health insurance due to her pre-existing condition, and she is ‘thrilled to be able to purchase a health insurance policy once again due to the ACA.’ She said she is in better health than many of her peers, but found it frustrating that ‘insurance companies looked at me as a liability in their profit,’” Rep. Castor said. 

“Ana, who attended an enrollment fair in Tampa, has asthma and has had no insurance for the past 14 years. She has been paying for everything out of pocket. These are the type of stories we are hearing in my office and from navigators in the community.”

Other patient rights and protections implemented by the ACA make it illegal for health insurance companies to arbitrarily cancel health insurance plans and young adults may remain on their parents’ plans until age 26. About 8.5 million consumers across the country received a refund this year from their health insurance companies if at least 80 percent of their premiums weren’t spent on medical care. In addition, Medicare is stronger and beneficiaries have pocketed significant prescription cost savings. 

Below is the full report by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services:

APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF AMERICANS WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS

Source: http://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Resources/Forms-Reports-and-Other-Resources/index.html#Patient%E2%80%99s%20Bill%20of%20Rights

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