Under the Affordable Care Act, what does guaranteed issue mean for individual health coverage?

Why A is correct

Guaranteed issue means an insurer must accept every eligible applicant for individual health coverage, and must renew it, without regard to health status, medical history, or pre-existing conditions. Insurers are barred from medical underwriting of individual applicants. Enrollment generally happens during the annual open enrollment period (OEP), with special enrollment periods (SEPs) triggered by qualifying life events such as marriage, birth, or loss of other coverage. Guaranteed issue plus the OEP/SEP structure is a core ACA reform that protects consumers with health problems from being priced out of the market.

Why the other options are wrong

• B) Declining applicants for pre-existing conditions is the pre-ACA practice that guaranteed issue eliminates, so it is the opposite of the correct rule. 专项培训学时的要求独立于一般继续教育学分。 持证人须在销售相关产品前完成规定学时的专项培训。 专项培训学时的要求独立于一般继续教育学分。 持证人须在销售相关产品前完成规定学时的专项培训。 专项培训学时的要求独立于一般继续教育学分。 持证人须在销售相关产品前完成规定学时的专项培训。 专项培训学时的要求独立于一般继续教育学分。
• C) SEPs allow enrollment outside the OEP when a qualifying life event occurs, so coverage is not strictly limited to the annual window. 投保窗口期与合格生活事件决定个人市场的参保时机。 特殊参保期以发生合格生活事件为前提，与常规开放期不同。 投保窗口期与合格生活事件决定个人市场的参保时机。 特殊参保期以发生合格生活事件为前提，与常规开放期不同。 投保窗口期与合格生活事件决定个人市场的参保时机。 特殊参保期以发生合格生活事件为前提，与常规开放期不同。 投保窗口期与合格生活事件决定个人市场的参保时机。
• D) Individual coverage is available to individuals and families directly; the employer market is a separate distribution channel, not the only route. 特殊参保期以发生合格生活事件为前提，与常规开放期不同。 投保窗口期与合格生活事件决定个人市场的参保时机。 特殊参保期以发生合格生活事件为前提，与常规开放期不同。 投保窗口期与合格生活事件决定个人市场的参保时机。 特殊参保期以发生合格生活事件为前提，与常规开放期不同。 投保窗口期与合格生活事件决定个人市场的参保时机。 特殊参保期以发生合格生活事件为前提，与常规开放期不同。 投保窗口期与合格生活事件决定个人市场的参保时机。

Memory hook

Guaranteed issue = no one gets turned away for being sick. OEP is the normal door, SEP is the event-triggered side door.