Linda Blumberg and John Holahan discuss why prohibitions on preexisting condition exclusions alone are insufficient to protect those with health problems and ensure their affordable access to necessary care. Meaningful protections require a package of policies: guaranteed issue of all insurance products, essential health benefit requirements, modified community rating, cost-sharing standards, plus prohibitions on pre-existing condition exclusions. Policy proposals that maintain the prohibition on preexisting conditions exclusions without the other protections are providing an empty promise to those with health problems and those who may suffer a health problem in the future.

Read the blog here (leaving Urban's web site)