UnitedHealth Unites Behind Obamacare

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The nation’s largest health insurer, the UnitedHealth Group Inc has announced that it would maintain certain health coverage protections included in Obamacare regardless of the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold or not the validity of the controversial law. The announcement is expected to raise controversies with both opponents and proponents of Obamacare trying to cash in on the situation. On one hand, the proponents find that the industry supports the measures forwarded by the President, and on the other, opponents find that the benefits of Obmacare are possible without any need of that particular legislation.

The provisions that UnitedHealth indicated it would continue to maintain include providing coverage for dependents up to the age of 26 under plans of their parents. The company would also maintain the offering of some preventive healthcare services without requiring co-payment – including annual check-ups, screening for diabetes and high blood pressure and vaccinations.

The insurance company said that it would also keep foregoing lifetime dollar coverage limits on its policies. UnitedHealth CEO Stephen Hemsley said, “The protections we are voluntarily extending are good for people’s health, promote broader access to quality care and contribute to helping control rising health care costs … These provisions make sense for the people we serve and it is important to ensure they know these provisions will continue.”

  

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There are a host of other provisions that are to be maintained by UnitedHealth including providing clear ways for members to appeal coverage claim decisions and the elimination of rescissions except in the case of fraud. UnitedHealth serves more than 38 million members, and said that the mentioned protections are available with immediate effect to both current and future plan members.

However, on other issues of Obamacare, like barring insurers from denying coverage to children up to the age of 19, UnitedHealth said that it could not commit itself, but recognized their value. The statement issued by the company mentioned in reference to the handicap on insurers, “One company acting alone cannot take that step, so UnitedHealthcare is committed to working with all other participants in the health care system to sustain that coverage.”