Nevadans to Benefit from New Health Care Law

AARP members and their families will begin to see real relief as new health care benefits begin to roll out under the new health care law; and AARP is here to help so that you can make the best decisions for you and your family. So what’s in the new health care law for you? Here are some details on the benefits coming your way.

If You’re on Medicare

Your guaranteed Medicare benefits are protected by this law, including doctor and hospital visits and rehabilitation services. As a new benefit, Medicare will also pay for preventative care, including screenings for cancer and diabetes, free of charge for over 300,000 Nevada Medicare enrollees. If you are one of the nearly 17,000 Nevadans who fall into the Medicare Part D coverage gap or doughnut hole, you will receive a $250 check in the fall of 2010, to help offset the cost of your prescription drugs.

In 2011 you will be eligible for a 50 percent discount on all brand-name drugs. The new law also provides bonuses for primary care doctors who accept Medicare, to help ensure that you can continue to see the doctor of your choice. And perhaps most importantly, the law extends the solvency of Medicare by nearly a decade; assuring that Medicare beneficiaries can continue to rely on this essential government program.

If You’re 50 to 64 Years Old

The new law makes insurance more affordable and accessible for more than 68,000 uninsured Nevadans age 50-64 through a number of new benefits. The law caps your out-of-pocket costs and provides families and small businesses that can’t get good coverage with the same kind of private insurance options that members of Congress have through insurance exchanges. Insurance providers can no longer deny you insurance coverage because of your medical history and can’t cancel you when you’re sick. Insurers will be required to offer free preventative care benefits such as colonoscopies, mammograms and other checkups and screenings.

If you have retiree health coverage through your employer and are 55 to 64, new federal funds will encourage your employer to continue offering you health benefits. And for those Americans with children under the age 26, you can keep you children on your health plan for a few extra years, giving them time to get on their feet in the working world.

If You Have Questions about the New Law

The AARP Bulletin has developed an excellent resource that outlines benefits under the new law and how they impact you—whether you’re Medicare beneficiary, a small business owner, purchasing your own insurance on the open market or receiving insurance through your employer—this guide will answer many of your questions.

If you prefer to speak to someone in person, and receive information in the mail, you can call AARP’s member hotline at 1-866-687-2277.