summary of key benefits

from progressive md

the law is already benefiting most Americans:

• Children can stay on their parents' health coverage until they turn 26
• Insurance companies cannot deny children coverage for pre-existing conditions or cancel coverage because a person has been treated in the past
• Insurers must now pay for preventive care even if you haven't paid your full deductible, and they can no longer put a lifetime benefit limit on your coverage or cancel your plan if you get sick
• All insurance plans must now report how much of your premiums they spend on care and provide you rebates if they spend too much on profits
  
• Seniors who fall into the Medicare prescription drug "doughnut hole" get $250 toward costs
• Small businesses get a 35% tax credit to help pay for employees' coverage.

Additional benefits and savings in 2014, when the law is fully in place:

• Insurance companies won't be able to deny anyone coverage for pre-existing coverage or place limits on annual or lifetime payments for covered benefits
• People who don't get health coverage at work will choose among health insurance plans in a new marketplace, with the amount they pay set by a sliding scale to make it affordable
  
• Members of Congress will get the same choices as all of us
  
• The Medicare drug doughnut hole will continue to shrink until totally eliminated.