Important Regulation Clarifies Rules of the Road for Health Care Law

Today, the IRS and Department of Treasury issued final regulations that bring us one step closer to expanding coverage options for millions of uninsured Americans who will start enrolling in new health plans on October 1. These final rules finalize the health care law’s requirement that individuals carry a minimum level of insurance. This requirement is central to improving women’s access to the health insurance market by making it financially possible for insurers to provide coverage to all who seek it at a reasonable cost.

Unlike today’s market, the 2014 health insurance market will provide comprehensive coverage to women regardless of pre-existing conditions that includes coverage for essential health benefits including maternity coverage – and women won’t be charged more than men for that coverage. In order to make that market a reality, it is important that people don’t wait to get sick to enroll in coverage.

The regulations released today balance the requirement to maintain health coverage with important protections for low-income women and families. Many women and families who are unable to afford coverage, have short coverage gaps or face other special circumstances will not face a payment for failure to maintain coverage.

One of the health care law’s primary goals is to improve women's health and that is why an important part of the regulations, and future guidance, protects pregnant women’s access to affordable and comprehensive health care options including pregnancy related Medicaid and coverage through the Marketplaces in the coming year. This is an important step in ensuring pregnant women have access to the health care that best meets their needs and we hope to work towards realizing these same protections in future years.