Health Insurer: Report Distorts Uninsured Claims

A study by the Department of Health and Human Services found that 129 million Americans under age 65 have pre-existing medical conditions that could lead to being rejected for health insurance or charged higher rates. The report comes on the day that Republican House member are to consider a measure to repeal Obamacare.

Obamacare includes provisions protecting those with pre-existing conditions.

America's Health Insurance Plans’ spokesman said the “report exaggerates the number of people who are impacted."  He told the Post that most of those included have insurance and would only be at risk if they needed to buy their own insurance or needed to change coverage.
The healthcare law provision dealing with pre-existing conditions does not take effect until 2014. A similar measure barring insurers from rejecting children with pre-existing conditions took effect last year.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said that "Americans living with pre-existing conditions are being freed from discrimination in order to get the health coverage they need," the Post reported.