The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act just passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama has changes that take effect in the near term (typically 6 months after passage).  These include:

–small business tax credits of up to 35% of premiums;

–the elimination of co-pays for preventive services for non-grandfathered plans effective January 1, 2011;

–the prohibition of  medical plans dropping persons when they become ill;

–prevention of  medical plans denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions;

— restriction of  NEW plans putting restrictions on coverage (in 2014 all such restrictions would be prohibited for all plans);

–the elimination of  lifetime caps on essential benefits coverage for all plans;

–as to NEW plans, protection of patients’ choice of doctors by allowing plan members to pick any participating primary care provider, prohibiting insurers from requiring prior authorization before a woman sees an ob-gyn, and ensuring access to emergency care;

–requirement that insurers permit children to stay on family policies until age 26 in most circumstances;

–prohibition for NEW fully insured group health plans from establishing any eligibility rules for health care coverage that have the effect of discriminating in favor of higher wage employees; and

–establishment of standards for insurance overhead and requires public disclosure to ensure that enrollees get value for their premium dollars, including a requirement that plans in the individual and small group markets spend 80% of premium dollars (and 85% for plans in large group markets) on clinical services and quality activities, effective January 1, 2011 and applicable to all plans, including grandfathered plans, with the exception of self-insured plans.

There are other provisions not directly impacting employers that also take effect in the near term.  See http://dpc.senate.gov/healthreformbill/healthbill64.pdf.