HealthWell: Underinsured Still Need More Help

The new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act may help many consumers pay their health bills, but it will leave many gaps in coverage, a nonprofit group says.

The nonprofit group, the HealthWell Foundation, Gaithersburg, Md., helps underinsured people who have health coverage cope with gaps in coverage. The foundation has expressed the following concerns about PPACA and a sister bill, H.R. 4872, the Reconciliation Act of 2010.

• PPACA and H.R. 4872 will cut Medicare Advantage plan payments. For the seniors who have the plans, will mean higher premiums and copayments.
• PPACA and H.R. 4872 will phase in elimination of the Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage “doughnut hole.” While the government is phasing in doughnut hole elimination, many seniors will continue to have problems paying for prescriptions when routine Part D coverage ends and catastrophic coverage has yet to kick in, the foundation says.