Big Chunk of the Affordable Act Was Not Delayed, Deadlines Loom

Postponement of some key Obamacare deadlines have been widely reported, but companies need to keep in mind that a number of deadlines have not been delayed and are coming up soon. Among them are caps on deductible and out-of-pocket maximums in some plans, new wellness programs, and what many consider to be the shank of health care reform: elimination of pre-existing condition exclusions. Group health plans were prohibited from excluding insureds under age 19 based on pre-existing conditions beginning in 2010, but as of 2014 all pre-existing condition exclusions are prohibited. Winston & Strawn attorney Sherene Awad Jodrey touches on these and others in an extensive list of requirements, noting that some apply differently depending on the nature of the plan.