NOBCC joins National Breast Cancer Coalition in Applauding the Supreme Court's Decision on Affordable Care Act

Access to affordable, quality health care is one of the most critical components in helping end breast cancer.  It's been a top priority of both Northern Ohio Breast Cancer Coalition Fund (NOBCC) and National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC) for the last several years.

We join NBCC in applauding today's decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  The Act, when fully enacted will improve access to affordable care, protect the rights of patients and improve the quality of cancer care across the U.S.

Following are some of the benefits of the ACA for breast cancer survivors, per NBCC's web site:

• No Pre-Existing Conditions – Beginning in 2014, group health plans and new individual plans will no longer be able to exclude breast cancer survivors from coverage or charge them a higher premium by defining breast cancer as a pre-existing condition.
• Lifetime and Annual Caps – Health insurance plans are prohibited from imposing lifetime caps on benefits, and the use of annual dollar limits is restricted.  Beginning in 2014, annual limits will also be banned. 
• No Rescission – Insurers can no longer cancel a breast cancer survivor’s insurance policy when she or he needs it most. 
• No Discrimination – Beginning in 2014, no longer will insurance plans be allowed to charge more simply because of gender, health status, location or participation in a clinical trial. 
• Other Protections – Access to internal and external appeals processes; access to clear and standardized information about insurance options through a new web portal as well as through state-based health care consumer assistance programs; and the right to designate or retain a primary care provider.

It also means that patients will continue to have a voice in the process.  Under the ACA, educated health care consumers will have an opportunity to play a role in a range of decision making bodies implementing health care reform.

Link to NBCC's Statement here.

Join NOBCC and NBCC today in helping protect access to affordable quality care today!