Health care 101

As students, staying healthy is impeccable to our academic performance. Winter not only brings us chilly weather, but also makes us most susceptible to colds or the flu. And we all know that showing up to sit in a cold classroom to listen your professor ramble on, all while fighting back a cough, is a miserable way to spend the day.

Rather than tough it out, we should be aware of the rights we have under the new federal health care law, the Affordable Care Act. According to Oregon State Public Interest Research Group (OSPIRG), these are some of the provisions under the new health care law:

As of Sep. 23, 2010

Young adults can remain on their parents’ insurance plans until the age of 26. When this provision went into effect in September,

OSPIRG estimated that 15,000 Oregonians would benefit from it.

Insurance companies cannot drop a client’s policy when they become sick. Additionally, clients have the right to appeal any denial of care.

For those under 19, the new law makes it illegal to deny consumers based on pre-existing conditions.

Consumers now have the right to choose their own primary care doctor.

Additionally, consumers can receive a rebate if their insurer spends less than 80 percent of their premiums on care, according to OSPIRG’s “The Young Person’s Guide to Health Insurance.”

The new health care law also created a federal website, www.healthcare.gov, where consumers can log on and compare different insurance plans. The website is managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

As of Jan. 1, 2014

Insurance companies cannot deny anyone coverage or increase premiums because of a pre-existing condition, regardless of the consumer’s age.

Insurance companies will not be able to discriminate between men and women. Currently, women are often charged more than men for coverage.

State “exchanges” will be made available. These exchanges will allow eligible consumers to essentially shop around and negotiate for better deals with insurance companies.

Free preventive care will be available in any insurance policy.

Health insurance will be mandatory in 2014 to those that can afford it. If you’re under 30, however, a lower cost plan will be available.

For more information about your consumer rights, visit www.healthcare.gov for the timeline the provisions will take into effect.