Maryland Health Insurance and Health Insurance Reform

March 23rd, 2010 was a historic day in America. Long touted healthcare reform was passed into law. But what does this mean for you and I? Well, there is a lot.

Maryland Health Insurance will start being affected as soon as September 23rd, 2010. On or after 9/23 Maryland health insurance companies will no longer be allowed to place lifetime limits on health insurance coverage they provide. This will insure that 3.6 millions Maryland residents with private individual health insurance coverage will not have to worry about coverage running out or hitting lifetime maximums.

Insurance companies will not be able to exclude children as the result of preexisting conditions and annual limits will be all but done away with in most Maryland medical insurance plans. Children will be allowed to stay on their parents Maryland health insurance plans until age 26 and health insurers offering new plans will have to develop an appeals process making it easier for applications to dispute the denial of medical claims. For the first time ever, Maryland will be able to join other states in offering Medicaid health insurance coverage for low income individuals and families.

Much of the Healthcare reform will not be implemented until closer to 2014. These will be major changes including guaranteed issue health insurance coverage for all Americans regardless of pre-existing conditions and/or previous health insurance declines. Over 75,000 Maryland small businesses will be helped when new small business tax credits are rolled our for local business providing Maryland health insurance options to their employees. Lastly, the closing of the Medicare Part D donut hole is underway, but won't be completely good to go until roughly 2020.

For more information on healthcare reform and how it will affect you, visit http://www.HealthReform.gov.