Child-only policies take hit
Written on September 21, 2010 by Jordan Ballard
LOS ANGELES — Major health-insurance companies in several states have decided to stop selling policies for tens of thousands of children rather than comply with a new health-care law that bars them from rejecting youngsters with pre-existing conditions.
Anthem Blue Cross, Aetna, Cigna and others will halt new “child-only” policies Thursday when provisions of the new law take effect, including a requirement that insurers cover people younger than 19 regardless of health histories.
The action will apply only to new coverage for children and not to existing family policies or those provided to youngsters through their parents’ employers. As many as an estimated 500,000 children would be affected, according to state and national experts.
Insurers said they are acting because the new federal requirement could create huge and unexpected costs for insuring children. They say the rule may prompt parents to buy insurance only after their children become sick.
The change has infuriated lawmakers, regulators and health-care advocates who say it will force more families to enroll in already strained public insurance programs.
Some federal officials noted that families that can’t find policies might be able to sign up for high-risk pools being set up as part of the new health-care law.
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