Obamacare Survival Guide ??

[Elijah]

Yes, that is the point I am making (distrust of the Gov't) . Sorry, I thought that was understood.

Originally Posted by Corkey

If you read it then what point are you trying to make? I don't take it personally, I'm just trying to inform people. From AARP if you distrust the government.

http://healthlawanswers.aarp.org/?CM...5_3280649877_1

[Corkey]

Originally Posted by Elijah

Yes, that is the point I am making (distrust of the Gov't) . Sorry, I thought that was understood.

LOL nope LOL Hope the AARP link will help you There are many sites, Insurance based, that provide the information.

[DapperButch]

Here's a calculator to play around with from the Kaiser Family. I threw my numbers in and was surprised as to how cheap it would be for me.

http://kff.org/interactive/subsidy-calculator/



ETA: Adding a quote from this page:

"In general, employees who are offered insurance through work are not eligible for subsidized exchange coverage, so long as their insurance meets specified requirements. You would only be eligible for subsidized exchange coverage if your income is between 1 and 4 times the federal poverty level and you would have to pay more than 9.5% of your household income for your own coverage through the insurance offered by your employer. "

TeddyBear, you may find you qualify for a policy that is cheaper than the one at your work.

[Elijah]

Interesting, so if I did the calculation correctly, I would have to pay at least $400.00 monthly for coverage that I now pay $120.00 monthly for. Ouch.

Originally Posted by DapperButch

Here's a calculator to play around with from the Kaiser Family. I threw my numbers in and was surprised as to how cheap it would be for me.

http://kff.org/interactive/subsidy-calculator/



ETA: Adding a quote from this page:

"In general, employees who are offered insurance through work are not eligible for subsidized exchange coverage, so long as their insurance meets specified requirements. You would only be eligible for subsidized exchange coverage if your income is between 1 and 4 times the federal poverty level and you would have to pay more than 9.5% of your household income for your own coverage through the insurance offered by your employer. "

TeddyBear, you may find you qualify for a policy that is cheaper than the one at your work.

[Corkey]

Originally Posted by Elijah

Interesting, so if I did the calculation correctly, I would have to pay at least $400.00 monthly for coverage that I now pay $120.00 monthly for. Ouch.

If you have insurance from an employer you are probably exempt from applying for the exchanges

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Elijah

Interesting, so if I did the calculation correctly, I would have to pay at least $400.00 monthly for coverage that I now pay $120.00 monthly for. Ouch.

Glad that you have such a good plan. You said you were concerned about how it would effect you. I assumed you had no insurance.

For someone who is in your financial situation who currently has no insurance, $400 a month may seem a lot cheaper than the ohhhhh, one hospital visit costing them thousands and thousands of dollars they will be paying back for years to come.

[Corkey]

True story.

I didn't have medical care (insurance) for 7 years. I could not get any medical care as I also didn't have any money. I finally get medicare and find out I had a mass the size of a basket ball in my gut. The surgery cost medicare 35 thousand dollars for a 3 day stay in a private room. I paid $400 in copay. Without insurance I would have died. I can not for the life of me understand how giving people the access to healthcare is a bad thing.

[Elijah]

No, I have health insurance through my employer. However the language I keep coming across is as follows: "If you have health insurance through an employer, you probably do not have to make any changes to your coverage.

I am not sure what that little caveat means, and that makes me apprehensive.

So far, I haven't run across under what circumstances I would have to change my coverage and what that would mean.

E.

Originally Posted by DapperButch

Glad that you have such a good plan. You said you were concerned about how it would effect you. I assumed you had no insurance.

For someone who is in your financial situation who currently has no insurance, $400 a month may seem a lot cheaper than the ohhhhh, one hospital visit costing them thousands and thousands of dollars they will be paying back for years to come.

[Corkey]

Originally Posted by Elijah

No, I have health insurance through my employer. However the language I keep coming across is as follows: "If you have health insurance through an employer, you probably do not have to make any changes to your coverage.

I am not sure what that little caveat means, and that makes me apprehensive.

So far, I haven't run across under what circumstances I would have to change my coverage and what that would mean.

E.

It means that as the ACA gets implemented insurance costs will be changing. Insurance companies will no longer be able to put a cap on lifetime coverage. They will no longer be able to discriminate as to who can get covered, nor can they deny coverage for a preexisting medical disease or condition, such as being female. It means that younger healthier people will get excellent rates and those of us who are not so young and healthy will pay a bit more for coverage. It means that insurance companies can no longer charge seniors more for their medications than the exchanges will pay. All in all good things.

[thedivahrrrself]

Originally Posted by Elijah

No, I have health insurance through my employer. However the language I keep coming across is as follows: "If you have health insurance through an employer, you probably do not have to make any changes to your coverage.

I am not sure what that little caveat means, and that makes me apprehensive.

So far, I haven't run across under what circumstances I would have to change my coverage and what that would mean.

E.

Here's one change you WILL see - remember all that shit they used to deny you coverage for? Well, they can't do too much of that anymore.

Oh yeah, and 80% of your money has to go towards your actual medical care and NOT lining their pockets, otherwise they have to give you a rebate.

Remember how they used to just cancel people's policies when they got cancer? Those days are gone too.

And you know how they used to just set their rates in the dark and you had no way of comparing the cost to what other companies are offering without going through a whole new set of paperwork, blood test, etc... well, in most states, you can compare prices now.


And regarding the expansions, those are medicaid, not private insurance in most cases. More people insured will actually drive down hospital costs, since you and I are actually paying more for all the people who use the services and don't ever pay.


Gotta go fight my insurance company on another treatment for something they claim was "pre-existing" again. A genetic test. SMH! How are your genes pre-existing??

[ArkansasPiscesGrrl]

Thanks for the links sent. They really are helpful.

for the first time in my life, since I moved up to AR in March 2011, I have been without insurance. At 61 yrs old, that is a very scary place to be. I have also, for the last 30 years, been in the medical insurance and billing business. I have perhaps a better grasp on what this law is intended to do, and how it intends on getting there. I have done underwriting, and understand the concept of spreading the risk to obtain lower premiums. I am looking forward to the implementation of the ACA. It will help me (since ins companies can no longer deny me coverage for any pre-existing conditions, or require me to fill out a 15 page application form, asking nothing but questions on "Have you EVER had____" ) I mean, at age 61, there isn't a whole lot that I haven't had! So now, all they will be able to ask me is how much I made last year, and that is only to see if I qualify for premium assistance.

I am self employed, and have a small company (currently 6 employees), so I do not HAVE to offer them ins. I will, however, even if it is just by supplementing premiums they have to pay out of pocket. However, most of them will qualify for drastically reduced rates, if not completely covered.

My one question that I had, and I haven't been able to find an answer to it yet, and the "navigators" aren't in place yet to ask, is whether the income from last year is based on Gross or Taxable Income.

Anyone know?

APG

[Corkey]

Originally Posted by ArkansasPiscesGrrl

Thanks for the links sent. They really are helpful.

for the first time in my life, since I moved up to AR in March 2011, I have been without insurance. At 61 yrs old, that is a very scary place to be. I have also, for the last 30 years, been in the medical insurance and billing business. I have perhaps a better grasp on what this law is intended to do, and how it intends on getting there. I have done underwriting, and understand the concept of spreading the risk to obtain lower premiums. I am looking forward to the implementation of the ACA. It will help me (since ins companies can no longer deny me coverage for any pre-existing conditions, or require me to fill out a 15 page application form, asking nothing but questions on "Have you EVER had____" ) I mean, at age 61, there isn't a whole lot that I haven't had! So now, all they will be able to ask me is how much I made last year, and that is only to see if I qualify for premium assistance.

I am self employed, and have a small company (currently 6 employees), so I do not HAVE to offer them ins. I will, however, even if it is just by supplementing premiums they have to pay out of pocket. However, most of them will qualify for drastically reduced rates, if not completely covered.

My one question that I had, and I haven't been able to find an answer to it yet, and the "navigators" aren't in place yet to ask, is whether the income from last year is based on Gross or Taxable Income.

Anyone know?

APG

Don't know, good question. I would suggest you contact your states Insurance Commissioner..

[Kelt]

Originally Posted by ArkansasPiscesGrrl

<snip>

My one question that I had, and I haven't been able to find an answer to it yet, and the "navigators" aren't in place yet to ask, is whether the income from last year is based on Gross or Taxable Income.

Anyone know?

APG

I will also be interested to see how other income types (e.g. earned income, assets, etc), will effect what is and is not available to individuals.