2014
The Affordable Care Act can be confusing and certainly there is a great deal of misinformation floating around out there. Following is a good summary of the current state of things regarding enrollment and penalties for not having health insurance.
Click on the link below for more questions and answers, especially if you do not have health insurance today.
The Sign-Up Deadline Is March 31: A Consumer Guide
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TOPICS: HEALTH REFORM, INSURANCE, MARKETPLACE, MEDICARE, MEDICAID, AGING
By Mary Agnes Carey
KHN Staff Writer
MAR 21, 2014
With just over a week until the March 31 deadline to sign up for health insurance, backers of the health law — from President Barack Obama on down — are engaged in a full-force campaign to enroll eligible Americans, especially younger ones who tend to be healthier and less costly to insure. But the landmark law still faces opposition from Republicans and a public that remains skeptical the law can improve health coverage while lowering its cost.
The law has already altered the health care industry and established a number of consumer benefits. It also has sweeping ramifications for state officials, employers, hospitals and doctors.
Following the botched Oct. 1 rollout of the online marketplaces, or exchanges, federal officials now say healthcare.gov works for the “vast majority of users.” On March 17, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Marilyn Tavenner announced exchange enrollment had reached 5 million.
But some problems remain. For example, many of the site’s “back end” functions, which provide insurers with more information about enrollment and let the government know if enrollees have paid their premiums, are still being built.
Here’s a primer on how the law might affect you.
I don’t have health insurance. Under the law, will I have to buy it, and what happens if I don’t?
You have until March 31 to enroll in health insurance before you are subject to the law’s tax penalty for not having coverage. Administration officials have said they will not extend this deadline.
For individuals, the penalty this year is the greater of either $95 or up to 1 percent of the portion of the person’s modified adjusted gross income that exceeds $10,150, which is the level that requires you to file a tax return. That rises to $695, or 2.5 percent of income, by 2016. For families this year the penalty is $285 or 1 percent of the portion of modified adjusted gross income over $20,300. That will grow in 2016 to $2,085 or 2.5 percent of household income, whichever is greater.
The requirement to have coverage can be waived for several reasons, including financial hardship or religious beliefs. Also on the list are people in the individual insurance market whose plans were canceled. Under the law’s “hardship exemption,” these consumers are also eligible to buy “catastrophic” coverage policies, which have lower premiums and higher deductibles than other plans that comply with the law.
Federal officials also announced that people with plans in the individual market that did not yet meet health law requirements could keep those policies for another two years if their states allow it and insurers continue to offer the plans.
If you have an income that would make you eligible for Medicaid under the provisions of the health law, but your state opted not to expand its Medicaid program, you generally cannot qualify for a subsidy to purchase coverage. However, you are also exempted from the penalties for not having insurance.
What if computer problems with the federal or a state-based exchange prevented me from purchasing health insurance? Do I still have to purchase coverage by March 31?
Yes. If computer glitches prevented you from enrolling, you can receive retroactive coverage to Jan. 1 or the date in 2014 when you originally applied, as well as retroactive premium tax credits and cost-sharing subsidies, according to administration guidance released earlier.
In addition, if you gave up trying to buy a plan because of technical issues, and instead you bought one outside the exchange, you may be able to switch to a marketplace plan and qualify for retroactive subsidies.
If you are still encountering difficulties, consumer advocates suggest you try to meet with one of the law’s navigators or assistors to get hands-on help. You can also contact an insurance agent or broker who may be able to help you through the application process or call Healthcare.gov at 800-318-2596 to get help.
via The Sign-Up Deadline Is March 31: A Consumer Guide – Kaiser Health News.
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