Interested in what happens now with healthcare reform? All the fervor has died down and we’re on to the next top issue (Arizona anyone?), but when will we start see the effect... Well, on July 1^st of this year people who have been unable to get health insurance because of preexisting conditions will be able to purchase subsidized coverage via a national high risk pool. On September 23^rd insurers will be banned from dropping people if they develop an illness, the dependent coverage age will extend to 26, no child will be denied because of a preexisting condition, and there will be no annual or lifetime limits. For more details read this, but in 2014 the entire law should be phased in.

That’s a brief synopsis of what’s going to happen in the coming months as a directive straight from the Patient Care and Affordability Act, but what else is going to be indirectly affected? One thing I keep reading is about the number of physicians practicing medicine. It was hard enough to practice with CMS issues, malpractice concerns, and hospital struggles…will the new law make it better for physicians to practice medicine in this country? What about the HITECH push, how is that effecting doctors?

What do you think?

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I Have to Buy...or else.

That didn’t take long.

Legislation has been introduced to Congress that would repeal “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” sponsored by Rep. Michele Bachmann [R-MN6]. This is in addition to the 12 states suing over the reform bill and 18 states refusing to cover people now uninsured. Even CNN is posting an editorial mentioning that we shouldn’t drink the kool-aid.

How far do you think the repeal will get? When will “Main Street” (to borrow a term) start seeing the changes?

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Voters support reform in CA

...so does Schwarzenegger.

Across the Pond: Healthcare & Politics in the UK