Trending News Today: Individuals With Preexisting Conditions Could Face Premium Hikes

A recent analysis revealed that more than 6 million individuals with preexisting conditions may face premium hikes under the American Health Care Act due to coverage gaps, The Hill reported. Without the community rating, insurers would not be restricted in limiting premium increases for patients with preexisting conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease. However, the legislation bars insurers from denying coverage, so insurers may choose to increase premiums to offset costs, according to the article.

The FDA recently warned that up to 8 million tests that detect lead poisoning in children might not have produced accurate results. The affected tests go back as far as 2014. The FDA is now recommending that young children and pregnant or nursing women may need to be retested, according to The New York Times. The tests may have underestimated lead levels in the blood when drawn from a vein; however, blood drawn from finger or heel pricks have not yielded an inaccurate result.

High insurance premium increases have caused consumers purchasing individual plans through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to question the cause of the rising costs. Health experts believe that a driving factor is the costs for new customers were higher than expected and the Trump administration has sent mixed messages to insurers, according to the Washington Post. The new administration has already taken measures to stabilize the market, but insurers worry that subsidies may be cut and the individual mandate will be repealed. In addition to inherited problems with the ACA, repealing these measures may lead to higher premiums.