With the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), numerous changes have been made to the entire health-insurance system. This is not only in terms of greater access to insurance, but with minimum standards of coverage and how insurance will be regulated. As a part of the ACA, insurers can no longer deny coverage to those with pre-existing medical conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), or enact lifetime or annual benefit caps to those enrolled in their plans.

Starting in 2014, healthcare plans can now be purchased through a centralized platform known as the Health Insurance Marketplace at www.healthcare.gov. This includes private insurance plans, as well as Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). While most Americans with manageable
healthcare needs will find sufficient information regarding coverage options, the MS community must be prepared to look deeper into the Marketplace and ask additional questions to ensure proper insurance coverage.

The different sections found within MSAA’s My Health Insurance Guide should be of much help to individuals seeking more information on selecting an insurance plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Of particular interest may be MSAA’s PLAN ahead section, our Healthcare Insurance Glossary, and the webinar titled, “The New Insurance Marketplace and MS.”