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Home > The Health Care Law & You > Key Features of the Law > Rights & Protections > Patient's Bill of Rights
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Patient's Bill of Rights

The Affordable Care Act puts consumers back in charge of their health care. Under the law, a new “Patient’s Bill of Rights” gives the American people the stability and flexibility they need to make informed choices about their health.

The Patient's Bill of Rights:

  • Provides Coverage to Americans with Pre-existing Conditions: You may be eligible for health coverage under the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan.
  • Protects Your Choice of Doctors: Choose the primary care doctor you want from your plan’s network.
  • Keeps Young Adults Covered: If you are under 26, you may be eligible to be covered under your parent’s health plan.
  • Ends Lifetime Limits on Coverage: Lifetime limits on most benefits are banned for all new health insurance plans.
  • Ends Pre-Existing Condition Exclusions for Children: Health plans can no longer limit or deny benefits to children under 19 due to a pre-existing condition.
  • Ends Arbitrary Withdrawals of Insurance Coverage: Insurers can no longer cancel your coverage just because you made an honest mistake.
  • Reviews Premium Increases: Insurance companies must now publicly justify any unreasonable rate hikes.
  • Helps You Get the Most from Your Premium Dollars: Your premium dollars must be spent primarily on health care – not administrative costs.
  • Restricts Annual Dollar Limits on Coverage: Annual limits on your health benefits will be phased out by 2014.
  • Removes Insurance Company Barriers to Emergency Services: You can seek emergency care at a hospital outside of your health plan’s network.

Since the Patient’s Bill of Rights was enacted, the Affordable Care Act has provided additional rights and protections.

The health care law:

  • Covers Preventive Care at No Cost to You: You may be eligible for recommended preventive health services. No copayment.
  • Guarantees Your Right to Appeal: You now have the right to ask that your plan reconsider its denial of payment.

For More Information

  • Read a report on the Patient’s Bill of Rights.
  • Find detailed technical and regulatory information on the Patient’s Bill of Rights.
  • HealthCare Blog: Protecting Patients with Private Insurance.
  • Fact Sheet: The Affordable Care Act's New Patient's Bill of Rights.
  • Use our interactive FAQ tool to find answers to questions about your rights or ask your own at answers.healthcare.gov.

Posted on: July 1, 2010

Last updated: February 6, 2012

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