Regardless of your current health insurance provider and financial situation, there is one thing to know: ObamaCare, also known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, is coming. Starting October 1, 2013, ObamaCare, a national health care reform, will be instituted for Americans across the country. It is important to understand what exactly ObamaCare entails and how the program will affect you and your loved ones. Our goal is to give you a basic understanding of what ObamaCare is, how it is relevant to you, and to understand that you still have legal options if something happens to you by the fault of another, regardless of your status within ObamaCare parameters. We also want you to understand that you can receive a free consultation about your legal options, should anything happen to you.
What is ObamaCare?
ObamaCare was first signed as a law on March 23, 2010. Since its initiation, over 100 million Americans have already benefitted from health insurance coverage that was never available to them before. The current reform will set up a health insurance marketplace where Americans can buy both federally-regulated and subsidized health insurance for themselves and their families.
The Affordable Care Act is comprised of over one thousand pages of reforms to both the health care and insurance industries in an effort to reduce health care costs and provide affordable health insurance to the country. Over 44 million Americans are currently ineligible to receive health insurance, so ObamaCare is a method by which these individuals can obtain policies.
ObamaCare will also work to improve the quality of care that Americans receive by providing better wellness and preventative services and raising the standards of basic health care coverage. By eliminating gender discrimination and pre-existing conditions, ObamaCare will mean that no individual can be dropped or charged a higher premium for their health insurance for gender- or health-related reasons. If you currently have a health insurance provider that you like, you may not be required to change your policy; ObamaCare is not intended to replace Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance, but to act as a buffer for those that currently cannot afford it or do not qualify. In some cases, certain health insurance plans will be terminated at the end of the year, but this is happening due to health insurance plans being required to meet certain qualifications under ObamaCare. If you have any questions about your plan specifically, contact your health insurance provider.
You Can Still Pursue a Claim
Those who currently have health insurance, either through ObamaCare or another provider, and have been involved in an accident resulting from another party’s negligence may feel that they are not eligible to pursue a claim to seek compensation for their damages because their insurance is already paying their medical expenses. On the contrary, you may still be eligible to pursue a claim for damages beyond what is considered to be traditional medical bills. ObamaCare will also prevent insurance providers from limiting the number of benefits a policyholder may receive over the course of their lifetime.
Additionally, working with an attorney can help you to decide if you are able to pursue additional compensation besides medical bills such as lost wages or pain and suffering. Even if your health insurance provider paid for certain expenses, an experienced attorney may still be able to help you pursue a claim for those bills as well. In other words, even if you currently have a health insurance policy that completely covers your medical bills following an accident, you may still want to consider seeking legal counsel because there are other damages that you may be able to recover based on your situation.
For instance, if you are involved in a car accident and have health insurance covering your medical expenses, you may feel that you are not legally allowed to sue the other driver even if it was determined that he or she was at fault. You may believe that since your insurance company is handling your claim, the bills will be paid and the case will be closed. The reality of the situation is that you may still be able to pursue a claim against the driver to seek additional compensation for injuries, medical bills and vehicular damage even if your health insurance provider pays out on its end. One reason for this is that often, there are more damages involved than just medical bills, such as pain and suffering, work wages lost, and costs to recover back to original condition. Additionally, if a loved one was a passenger in the car and died due to injuries, you may be entitled file a wrongful death claim against the other driver.
An experienced attorney may also be able to help you negotiate liens that insurance providers often place on personal injury recoveries; this may result in a greater amount of compensation for you. If you have not yet spoken with an insurance company and settled a recent accident or situation, it is not too late for you to take further action. Before consulting with a third party to negotiate a settlement, it may be in your best interest to seek legal counsel to help you pursue the most reasonable amount for true recovery.
Contact Our Attorneys Today for More Information
If you or someone you love would like to learn more about ObamaCare specifically, there are multiple credible resources online. If you would like to know more about how your specific insurance plan is affected, contact your health insurance provider, and they will walk you through any changes you may experience. If you have questions about your legal options beyond insurance following an accident, contact us at Attorney Group. We are available to answer any questions you may have and will help you determine if you are eligible to pursue a claim. We will connect you with an attorney affiliated with Attorney Group, at no upfront cost to you, who will work to help you pursue compensation for whatever your circumstances may be, in the efforts to get you on the road to recovery. So contact Attorney Group today for your free consultation.
