Largest insurer to keep parts of 'Obamacare,' regardless of court ruling

UnitedHealthcare, the nation’s largest health care provider, is expected to announce that it will keep major and popular parts of President Obama’s health care initiative, regardless of how the U.S. Supreme Court rules,The Washington Post reports.

 

According to The Post, the company will announce Monday that it plans to continue to provide customers with preventive health services without co-pays or out-of-pocket charges. The company will also allow parents to keep children on their health plans until age 26.

UnitedHealthcare will also observe the law’s prohibition against lifetime limits on insurance payouts and canceling coverage after a patient gets sick, unless that patient intentionally lied on the insurance application.

The announcement affects roughly 9 million consumers in the U.S. The U.S. Supreme Court is reviewing several major challenges to the law, and is expected to issue rulings this month that could dispatch all or part of the law.

“The protections we are voluntarily extending are good for people’s health, promote broader access to quality care and contribute to helping control rising health care costs,” Stephen J. Hemsley, president and chief executive of UnitedHealth Group, said in a statement to The Post. “These provisions are compatible with our mission and continue our operating practices.”