At Risk: Pre-Existing Conditions Could Affect 1 in 2 Americans

Under the Affordable Care Act, starting in 2014, Americans cannot be denied coverage, be charged significantly higher premiums, be subjected to an extended waiting period, or have their benefits curtailed by insurance companies because of some type of pre-existing health condition. A number of protections have already been put in place by the Affordable Care Act in 2010 and 2011 to increase access to health care coverage for those who need it. This study provides a “snapshot” or profile of the health status of individuals and sheds light on the number of Americans gaining protections from discrimination based on pre-existing conditions under the Affordable Care Act. [10 PDF pages]