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Preexisting conditions affect at least 50 million Americans

NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Jan. 24, 2011

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Between 50 million and 129 million Americans have at least one preexisting health condition, according to an estimate released Jan. 18 by the Dept. of Health and Human Services' Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation.

HHS estimated that 50 million nonelderly people have a health condition -- such as cancer, cirrhosis of the liver or chronic pancreatitis -- that allows them to qualify for coverage in high-risk insurance pools created by HHS and the states last year. The 129 million projection includes people with other conditions that may lead to higher insurance premiums, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and obesity.

HHS commissioned the report as a counterpoint to House Republicans' assertions that the health system reform law should be repealed because of its $1 trillion cost and its regulations. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said the law will prohibit health insurers from denying coverage to anyone with a preexisting condition beginning in 2014. "Americans living with preexisting conditions are being freed from discrimination in order to get the health coverage they need."

GOP lawmakers claimed that the administration was exaggerating the numbers of people who have conditions that currently might disqualify them from coverage. The HHS report is available online (link).

Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2011/01/24/gvbf0124.htm.

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