Who might, or might not, be covered under the healthcare bills

10-25-2009 • LA Times

I work at a small business and my employer doesn't offer health benefits. Will healthcare reform require my employer to cover me?

It depends on the size of the business, but many small businesses are exempted in the House and Senate bills. The final Senate bill is likely to exempt businesses with fewer than anywhere between 25 and 50 employees from a mandate to offer coverage. The House bill exempts or reduces the requirement for businesses that have yearly payrolls of less than $400,000.

I have been denied health insurance because of a preexisting condition. Will any of these bills guarantee that I can buy healthcare?

The bills appear to explicitly prohibit an insurer in the individual marketplace from denying you coverage because of your health status, regardless of whether you have been denied coverage in the past. Of course, the bills do not guarantee you will be able to find an affordable policy. And under the bills as they stand now, insurers will still be able to price policies based on your age or past tobacco use.