People with Lupus Denied Health Insurance Due to Pre-Existing Condition May Be Able to Obtain Coverage Through Health Care Reform Law Plan

President Obama signed the Health Care Reform package in to law in March 2010, which will extend insurance coverage to as many as 32 million Americans who currently do not have health insurance, as well as provide much-needed protections for people with lupus and other chronic conditions.

Americans who have been denied health insurance coverage because of a pre-existing condition can now apply for the Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP). This temporary program provides insurance to people who have been unable to obtain coverage because of a preexisting condition. The PCIP coverage could start as early as August and will serve as a bridge for people until 2014 when the reform law bans health insurers from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions.

In order to enroll in the PCIP a person must have been without medical insurance for 6 continuous months and have been denied coverage due to their pre-existing condition; documentation of denial is required.

For more information on the PCIP and to learn about what health care coverage is available in your state, visit the new Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) website, www.healthcare.gov.