Gordon Announces New Health Care Information Resources

Press Release

Today, Congressman Bart Gordon announced the launch of HealthCare.gov, a new online marketplace to help individuals and businesses owners learn about options for affordable private health insurance.

The new website will outline the details and contact information of insurance plans offered in the state so consumers can contact the company about the plans that best fit their needs. The site is designed to be user-friendly and jargon-free to provide the most helpful information to consumers particularly, to those who have limited comfort with internet use.

"HealthCare.gov helps consumers navigate the complicated world of insurance shopping, empowering them to make informed decisions about their own health care needs," Gordon said. "Let's say you're a 51-year-old woman with a heart condition who just lost her job and employer health plan. Or you're a 22-year-old man who just graduated college and hasn't found a job yet. With a few clicks, this website will spell out what your options are."

The launch of the new website coincides with the opening of a new Pre-Existing Conditions Insurance Plan. The PCIP aims to serve individuals who have been refused private insurance coverage because of their medical histories.

"Many Americans with pre-existing conditions have been entirely frozen out of the insurance system. For too many, there have simply been no options--at any company, at any price," Gordon said. "The new program will offer health care options to the 12,000 people in my district who can't get insured now because they have diabetes, cancer or other conditions."

The new high-risk pool ensures individuals with pre-existing conditions will have equitable access to affordable insurance. The PCIP will provide a wide range of services, including primary and specialty care, hospital care and prescription drugs. Tennesseans who have been uninsured for six months or more due to a pre-existing condition can apply at www.pcip.gov.

The PCIP is a temporary measure to give these individuals access to coverage until 2014, when insurance companies will be prohibited from discriminating against individuals with pre-existing conditions. In 2014, companies will also be barred from hiking rates or dropping coverage for insured individuals who become sick or develop a serious condition. Some private companies have already adopted these changes voluntarily in advance of the new law.

The new high-risk insurance pool and the online marketplace are components of the Affordable Care Act which was signed into law in March. Gordon cited increased equity and transparency in the insurance industry as two reasons for his vote in favor of the bill.

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