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Changes impacting group health plan design: changes
take effect for plan years effective beginning September 21, 2010
" Mandated extended eligibility for dependent children:
An employee will be allowed to keep his/her children enrolled in
health coverage until age 26, unless the child is eligible for coverage
through his/ her own employment. Group health plans cannot exclude
pre-existing medical conditions from coverage for a child under
age 19
" Group health plans must cover preventative services
and such coverage must be without co-pays, deductibles or coinsurance
" Group health plans will be barred from imposing
lifetime caps on coverage. Restrictions will also be placed on annual
limits on coverage. Insurers can no longer cancel insurance retroactively
for things other than outright fraud
Certain other changes taking effect in 2010:
" Tax credits for businesses: Businesses with fewer
than 25 employees and average wages of less than $50,000 could qualify
for a tax credit of up to 35 percent of the cost of their premiums
" Government oversight over insurance premiums: if
an insurer spends too much on administrative expenses, a rebate
is required to be paid
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