The Affordable Healthcare Act

Here are some of the highlights of the law passed in 2010:

Health care coverage will be available to individuals who are denied insurance due to pre-existing conditions through 2013. In Florida, the Pre Existing Condition Insurance Program (PCIP) is run through the federal government. You must be a citizen or national, uninsured for six months and have a preexisting condition. The premium is based upon the age of the enrollee. The enrollee will be required to pay a deductible before the plan starts to pay (there may be a separate deductible for prescriptions) as well as copayments. Learn more at: www.healthcare.gov

The law also removes annual and lifetime limits on coverage which helps people who have catastrophic illnesses.

The Medicare trust fund will continue for another 12 years. The donut hole in Part D prescription plans will be phased out.

Starting in 2013 individuals will pay an additional 0.9% in Medicare tax on wages above $200,000.00 ($250,000.00 for a married couple). There will be a 3.8% tax on unearned wages that exceed those levels.