How the Health Care Law is Making a Difference for the People of Northern Mariana Islands
For too long, too many hardworking Americans paid the price for policies that handed free rein to insurance companies and put barriers between patients and their doctors. The Affordable Care Act gives hardworking families in Northern Mariana Islands the security they deserve. The new health care law forces insurance companies to play by the rules, prohibiting them from dropping your coverage if you get sick, billing you into bankruptcy because of an annual or lifetime limit, or, soon, discriminating against anyone with a pre-existing condition.
All Americans will have the security of knowing that they don’t have to worry about losing coverage if they’re laid off or change jobs. And insurance companies now have to cover your preventive care like mammograms and other cancer screenings. The new law also makes a significant investment in State and community-based efforts that promote public health, prevent disease and protect against public health emergencies.
Health reform is already making a difference for the people of Northern Mariana Islands by:
Making prescription drugs affordable for seniors
In the first five months of 2012, 36,291 people with Medicare received a 50 percent discount on their covered brand-name prescription drugs when they hit the donut hole. By 2020, the law will close the donut hole.
Providing better value for your premium dollar through the 80/20 Rule
Under the new health care law, insurance companies must provide consumers greater value by spending generally at least 80 percent of premium dollars on health care and quality improvements instead of overhead, executive salaries or marketing. If they don’t, they must provide consumers a rebate or reduce premiums. This means that 1,022 Northern Mariana Islands residents with private insurance coverage will benefit from $291,586 in rebates from insurance companies this summer. These rebates will average $782 for the 373 families in Northern Mariana Islands covered by a policy.
Scrutinizing unreasonable premium increases
In every State and for the first time under Federal law, insurance companies are required to publicly justify their actions if they want to raise rates by 10 percent or more. Northern Mariana Islands has received $1 million under the new law to help fight unreasonable premium increases.
Preventing illness and promoting health
Since 2010, Northern Mariana Islands has received $500,000 in grants from the Prevention and Public Health Fund created by the Affordable Care Act. This new fund was created to support effective policies in Northern Mariana Islands, its communities, and nationwide so that all Americans can lead longer, more productive lives.
Increasing support for community health centers
Health centers in Northern Mariana Islands have received $608,333 million to create new health center sites in medically underserved areas, enable health centers to increase the number of patients served, expand preventive and primary health care services, and/or support major construction and renovation projects.
Strengthening partnerships with Northern Mariana Islands
The law gives states support for their work to build the health care workforce, crack down on fraud, and support public health. Examples of Affordable Care Act grants to Northern Mariana Islands not outlined above include:
- $1.5 million for Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Programs. These programs bring health professionals to meet with at-risk families in their homes and connect families to the kinds of help that can make a real difference in a child’s health, development, and ability to learn -- such as health care, early education, parenting skills, child abuse prevention, and nutrition.
Last updated: June 25, 2012