03.05.12 The federal health insurance law of 2010 has eliminated lifetime coverage limits for more than 1.4 million Louisiana residents in the private insurance market, according to a new report released today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Nationally, the change has gone into effect for more than 105 million people. The Louisiana numbers include 538,000 women and 385,000 children, according to HHS.

"For years, Americans with lifetime caps imposed on their health insurance benefits have had to live with the fear that if an illness or accident happened, they could max out their health coverage when they needed it the most," said Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. "Now, because of the health care law, they no longer have to live in fear of that happening."