When bill’s provisions take effect - McClatchy Newspapers

Here are the effective dates of major provisions of the health-care overhaul:

WITHIN A YEAR:

Would provide a $250 rebate this year to Medicare prescription-drug beneficiaries whose initial benefits run out.

90 DAYS AFTER ENACTMENT:

Would provide immediate access to high-risk pools for people with no insurance because of pre-existing conditions.

SIX MONTHS AFTER ENACTMENT:

Would bar insurers from denying people coverage when they get sick.

Would bar insurers from denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions.

Would bar insurers from imposing lifetime caps on coverage.

Would require insurers to allow people to stay on their parents’ policies until they turn 26.

2011

Would require individual and small group market plans to spend 80 percent of premiumdollars on medical services. Large group plans would have to spend at least 85 percent.

2013

Would increase the Medicare payroll tax and expand it to dividend, interest, investment, capital gains and other unearned income for singles earning more than $200,000 and joint filers making more than $250,000.

2014

Would provide subsidies for families earning up to 400 percent of poverty level, currently about $88,000 a year, to purchase health insurance.

Would require most employers to provide coverage or face penalties.

SOURCES: Speaker of the House, Congressional Budget Office, Kaiser Family Foundation