If you’re uninsured in Kansas, an Affordable Care Act (ACA) health plan may be right for you. Plans sold in the ACA Marketplace provide a set of essential benefits, including emergency services, maternity care, and prescription drugs.
Those with low incomes can get subsidized insurance through the Marketplace. If you don’t qualify for a subsidy, Medicaid is usually a cheaper option.
1. Coverage for Pre-Existing Conditions
The Affordable Care Act guarantees coverage for pre-existing conditions, ensuring that no insurance plan can reject you or charge you more because of your health. And all Marketplace plans must cover treatment for your pre-existing condition as soon as it begins.
Before the law was passed, most people with medical problems had to get insurance on their own. That could have left them uninsured and expensive to cover.
2. Coverage for Pregnancy
If you’re pregnant, you can choose from a wide variety of affordable health insurance plans in Kansas during the annual Open Enrollment Period. These ACA plans must cover 10 Essential Health Benefits (EHBs), including maternity care.
However, many women without coverage will still be faced with high out-of-pocket pregnancy costs. This is called the “coverage gap.” Fortunately, there are other options for low-income women and families. Medicaid and CHIP provide free or low-cost coverage to millions of Americans, including many Kansans.
3. Coverage for Children
Children and youth who aren’t insured or have no health coverage can get a state-subsidized program called SCHIP. SCHIP also supports health services projects to improve the health of low-income children and youth.
Adults who aren’t eligible for Medicaid but want coverage can buy Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans in the Marketplace. These plans must cover essential health benefits, like emergency services and maternity care.
4. Coverage for Mental Health
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires health insurance plans to cover mental health and substance use services as an essential health benefit. These benefits are typically covered at little or no cost to consumers.
Despite the requirement to offer coverage for mental health and substance use, there is still much work to do to improve access to care for people with mental health conditions.
5. Coverage for Addictions
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), aka Obamacare, makes drug addiction treatment more accessible to those in need. This is an important issue as untreated addiction is estimated to cost the nation 420 billion dollars annually.
The ACA requires health insurance plans to cover substance use disorders in the same way they do other mental health conditions and physical illness. This is called parity.
6. Coverage for Cancer
The ACA provides coverage for preventive and screening services, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and end-of-life care. This includes the removal of lifetime and annual dollar limits on essential health benefits.
The ACA also supports patient-centered clinical research, with requirements that commercial insurers cover routine costs related to participation in approved cancer clinical trials. These provisions have the potential to improve cancer care throughout the cancer control continuum.
7. Coverage for Heart Disease
The Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, has improved access to health insurance across the country. It offers a range of options from Medicaid to private plans sold in the Marketplace.
The ACA also made it possible for people with pre-existing conditions to buy a policy on the individual market. This is a major change to the industry and could be good news for many Kansas residents.
8. Coverage for Dental Care
Dental insurance helps pay a portion of dental costs for preventive services and some major procedures. It’s an important part of overall health care coverage.
Some Marketplace plans include dental benefits. You can also buy separate dental plans in the Marketplace.
9. Coverage for Vision Care
Vision care is a relatively un-covered benefit for many Kansas households. That can be a major gap in coverage for families that don’t have medical insurance or a workplace plan.
Fortunately, a well-chosen vision plan can make a difference in the overall cost of your vision needs. It can also help you avoid large out-of-pocket costs.
10. Coverage for Hearing Care
The Affordable Care Act has made it easier for Americans to receive preventative health screenings, including hearing tests. However, many people still struggle to find affordable hearing healthcare.
Fortunately, some states offer Medicaid coverage for hearing aid assessment and services. Federal policy makers should consider making this a mandatory benefit under Medicaid.
