NHF supports legislation to increase minimum lifetime caps on private health insurance plans to $10 million and provide an annual update for inflation thereafter. For people with high-cost chronic disorders such as hemophilia, lifetime caps pose a serious threat that affects health care, career choices and financial stability. Increasing the minimum lifetime cap will likely result in savings for federal and state governments by allowing individuals with high medical costs to maintain private insurance rather than be forced onto Medicare and Medicaid. Moreover, there is no cost to the federal government in raising lifetime caps.
The Health Insurance Coverage Protection Act
The Health Insurance Coverage Protection Act (S. 442/H.R. 1085) -- introduced by Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), and Representative Anna Eshoo (D-CA) -- increases the minimum lifetime caps in private insurance plans to $10 million with an annual inflationary index. The legislation will allow people with bleeding disorders and other high-cost chronic conditions who have private insurance to maintain their coverage and not have to seek public assistance such as Medicaid or state high-risk pools.
Download our 2009 Washington Days fact sheet and talking points.
View NHF's press release on the LTC bill.