Policy: Provides federal funding to subsidize insurance pools for medically high-risk adults without coverage. Also bans insurers from denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions.
Caveat: Premiums may still be unaffordable, even with federal subsidies — high-risk pools in some states now have long waiting lists. Although insurers will be required to provide coverage for children in this category, there are no limits on what they can charge in premiums.
TBD: Whether federal subsidies will be high enough to keep premiums affordable for these very vulnerable Americans. Also unknown is precisely how many people will seek insurance through high-risk pools or exactly what care these benefits will cover.