pre-existing conditions

Several days ago, I wrote about the ordeal I have been going through trying to move my health insurance from Kentucky to Maryland.  It's an ongoing--and expensive--saga.

Women's groups are clear: the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is critical to women's health and health care access. From eliminating pre-existing conditions as a way to prohibit coverage to ensuring access to preventive health care, the health reform law is crucial to women's health. Still, anti-choice Republicans are using it as a way to attack reproductive rights.

Two bills with the power to significantly improve the health and lives of California's women and children await Governor Schwarzenegger's signing in the final days of the state's legislative session.

So we come to another battle over abortion in health care, only this time, the Obama administration caved even before anti-choicers brought out their pitchforks.

The Associated Press reported last night that "the insurance industry's top lobbyist said insurers will accept new regulations to dispel uncertainty over a much-publicized guarantee that children with medical problems can get coverage starting this year."

Follow Jodi Jacobson on Twitter, @jljacobson

Kaiser Health News reports today that the insurance industry lobbyists claim the health reform bill signed by President Obama this week lacks a clear mandate for immediate coverage of children with pre-existing conditions, potentially leaving these children vulnerable for four more years.  The Administration says it will fix the loophole.

Follow Jodi Jacobson on Twitter, @jljacobson