Cut Through the Clutter of Health Care Reform with the New "Health Care Reform and Me" Web Tool

DETROIT, March 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- One year after Congress passed the federal health care reform law, polls continue to show that there is significant confusion, misinformation and myths surrounding the implications of the law. And finding straightforward answers isn't always easy.

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Families, employers, insurance agents and health care professionals who have struggled to cut through the clutter of health care reform have a new tool to help them assess which changes apply to them now and in the years to come, thanks to a new Web site from the Michigan-based, nonprofit Health Alliance Plan (HAP).

"It's challenging – though not impossible – to separate the facts from the hype and find straightforward answers about The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act because we're constantly bombarded with opinions on health care reform," said Rory Lafferty, manager, Regulatory, Legislative and Strategic Reforms at HAP and a member of the Governance Workgroup for Michigan's Health Insurance Exchange Planning process.  

Consumers, employers, agents and health care professionals are looking for unbiased information in a simple, quick format. That's why, Lafferty says, HAP created haphealthcarereform.com, where users can answer a few simple questions to get an instant, printable Health Care Reform and Me summary of applicable provisions and the year in which they become effective. And because there are still many "unknowns" when it comes to specific provisions, users can sign up to receive e-mail alerts when new information becomes available. The site also features a glossary of terms and links to additional resources.

Help for Individuals and Families

Whether they are uninsured, purchase their own health care coverage, or are covered by an employer or government health plan, individuals and families can use Health Care Reform and Me to learn which changes apply to them, such as:

• The removal of over-the-counter drugs purchased without a physician's prescription as a qualified medical expense for a Health Reimbursement Account or a health Flexible Spending Account; and
• The reduction of the Medicare Part D premium subsidy for higher-income Medicare beneficiaries.

Help for Employers and Insurance Agents

Employers – particularly smaller employers – are turning to their agents and consultants for guidance on health care reform, and more employees than ever before are turning to their employer for information about their coverage. Employers (and their agents) can use this site to assess how their business and its most valuable asset – employees – may be affected by provisions such as:

• A requirement to disclose the value of applicable employer-sponsored coverage on employees' annual W-2; and
• An opportunity to offer employees incentives of up to 30 percent of the cost of coverage for participating in a wellness program and meeting health targets.

Help for Health Care Professionals

• Patients count on their health care providers to stay informed. Health Care Reform and Me can help health care professionals assess which changes may affect their patients and/or their staff, such as:
  A requirement for Medicare to cover a health risk assessment and a visit to a personal care physician (PCP) to create a personalized disease prevention plan; and
• If a plan requires designation of a PCP, individuals must be able to choose from any participating PCP that is accepting patients, including pediatricians.

Get your Health Care Reform and Me summary at haphealthcarereform.com.

About Health Alliance Plan

Health Alliance Plan (HAP) is a Michigan-based, nonprofit health plan that provides health coverage to 500,000 members and companies of all sizes. HAP is celebrating 50 years of partnering with leading physicians and hospitals, employers and community organizations to improve the quality of health care and enhance the health and well-being of the lives we touch. HAP offers PPO, HMO, Value and Medicare plans with award-winning preventive services, disease management, wellness programs and customer service. The National Committee for Quality Assurance awarded HAP's commercial HMO and HAP Senior Plus Excellent Accreditation.

SOURCE Health Alliance Plan