Health Care Reform: Where Do We Stand

The Epilepsy Foundation strongly supports the comprehensive health care reform plans currently being considered in Congress. If enacted, health care reform will make it easier for people with epilepsy to receive the medical care and treatment they need.

Both the House and Senate versions of health care reform include 5 provisions that are critically important to people with epilepsy. Both bills:

1. End pre-existing conditions exclusions and denials of coverage due to health.

2. Require insurance plans to provide free (or nearly free) routine preventive care.

3. Limit out-of-pocket expenses (such as deductibles and co-payments).

4. Eliminate lifetime caps (or annual limits) on health insurance coverage.

5. Allow individuals to keep their current health insurance plans.

These five provisions would end many of the problems people with epilepsy face in obtaining coverage.

The Foundation’s top concern is protecting your access to medication, other treatment options and specialty care. The House bill supports health plans that are structured to provide robust networks of physicians and benefits, and we believe this is critical to everyone with epilepsy. We are currently working to convince Senators to include similar protections in their version of the bill.

Unfortunately, health care reform has become an extremely political issue and there are many myths on the internet and media. The Epilepsy Foundation has created a short document that provides more detail about the House and Senate bills. We are also providing a document that answers these myths.

Take Action – Talk About Health Care Reform with Congress

We urge all advocates to contact their Senators and Representative during the August and Labor Day recess. At this time, legislators are back home in their districts holding public forums, attending public events, and meeting with constituents. Contact your congressional leaders, share your story about epilepsy and show support for health care reform that will make it easier for every American with epilepsy to access the medical care they need.