NPAF is encouraged by several new provisions included in the Senate manager's amendment to health care reform.  NPAF is especially pleased with the following improvements included in the health reform amendment: elimination of preexisting condition coverage exclusions for children under age 19; prohibition of annual dollar limits on coverage; and the requirement of coverage for routine costs associated with clinical trials.  

NPAF continues to urge lawmakers to incorporate additional patient protection measures as they work together to finalize health care reform legislation.  Specifically, the following improvements are needed in order to effectively improve chronically and severely ill Americans' access to quality health care:

• Apply insurance reforms, including the elimination of preexisting condition exclusions, to all markets including large group and self-insured;
• Provide a transitional reduction in the preexisting condition look-back and waiting periods (as in the House bill);
• Eliminate lifetime and annual coverage limits, on both dollar value and service/disease specific; and
• Provide at least $2 billion a year to fund the high-risk pool for high-risk patients, and limit age rating in the risk pool to 2 to 1.

View NPAF Press Release