News
Lifetime Health Insurance Caps Bill Introduced in House, Senate; Alpha-1 Foundation, Association urge action to support bill
WASHINGTON, DC—Legislation to raise lifetime spending limits on health insurance coverage has been introduced to the US House and Senate.
This issue is of particular interest to those with chronic conditions that require high-cost therapies, such as Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency. Medical expenditures continue to outpace general inflation and the number of people who reach their lifetime health insurance caps has increased. When the lifetime cap is reached, insurers no longer provide health coverage.
“The Health Insurance Coverage Protection Act” (H.R. 1085 and S.442) will phase in an increase in minimum lifetime caps in private insurance plans to $10 million, with an annual inflationary index thereafter.
The legislation would allow people with high-cost chronic conditions who have private insurance to maintain their coverage and not have to seek public assistance such as Medicaid or state high-risk pools.
With the average health expense for an Alpha sometimes more than $100,000, a lifetime cap of $1 million is sometimes inadequate.
