Affordable Care Act—Whose train wreck is it anyway?

May 9, 2013 by

Whose train wreck is it anyway? Opinion By Kathryn Mayer May 1, 2013 •

By now, I’m sure you’ve heard about top Democratic senator Max Baucus predicting a “train wreck” coming for PPACA. In a budget hearing nearly two weeks ago, Baucus expressed his concern that the exchanges for consumers and small businesses wouldn’t open on time in every state. He also said the “administration’s public information campaign on the benefits of the Affordable Care Act deserves a failing grade.”

People worried about Obamacare’s implementation? Not a big surprise. But a key author of the health legislation screaming about it in a budget meeting? Not great for morale.

Recently, both HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and President Obama admitted some flaws in the whole thing — Sebelius admitted the law would cause higher premiums for some, while Obama just this week said there will be “glitches and bumps” in the rollout of his health care law.

This isn’t news, but just how much higher premiums will be and just how bumpy this ride will end up — those are the questions.

One thing’s for sure: the law is losing steam. Public opinion is no longer on Obama’s side: The latest Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that a majority of Americans have a negative perception of the law. In the latest tracking poll, 40 percent said they have an unfavorable view of the law, compared with 35 percent who have a favorable view.

Oh, but here’s the worst (I mean scariest) part about all of it: Consumers still don’t get it. Like, they really, really don’t get it.

A staggering number of Americans — 42 percent — apparently didn’t realize that the Supreme Court held a huge case on the constitutionality of the law — and voted to keep it. Four in 10 Americans are unaware that the PPACA is still law and is being implemented. Among them, 12 percent believe the law has been repealed by Congress, 7 percent believe it’s been overturned by the Supreme Court and 23 percent say they don’t know enough to say what the status of the law is.

There’s not much else to say besides that’s not OK.

It makes me ask: whose train wreck is this, really? Is it the fault of the administration who passed and praised and pressed this law, but haven’t been able to successfully control its implementation? Is it Republicans who are too prideful for this to work, doing everything they can to prevent the success of the law?

Or is the trainwreck due to the ignorance of Americans, who apparently really need to pick up a newspaper or put on C-SPAN for a few minutes?

It’s a little bit of everyone. But without being embraced by each of these groups, the PPACA won’t just be off to an imperfect beginning; it will be a hot failure.

Filed Under: Affordable Care Act, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance Tagged With: ,

Health Insurance Exchange. What To Expect In 2014.

April 11, 2013 by

The Basics Of Health Insurance Exchanges.

As part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA or health care reform law), starting in 2014
all Americans must have a minimum amount of health insurance or be taxed by the
government. The law also requires each state to have a health insurance exchange
where people can buy health insurance coverage. People who don’t get health
insurance at work, or can’t afford it, may be able to get it through an exchange. The
exchanges do not replace buying health insurance privately. They are simply a new
place to shop and buy.

Exchange plans will be offered in a tiered format. The tiers are named
after metals: bronze, silver, gold, & platinum.  Each tier will have
several plans to choose from and will include essential health benefits.
Bronze plans will have the lowest monthly premium, but cost shares will
be more when health care services are provided. Platinum plans will
have the highest monthly premium, but cost shares will be less.

All plans must include “essential health benefits” as defined by the
health care reform law. Specifically, the plans must include items and
services from at least these 10 categories of care:*

1. Ambulatory patient services

2. Emergency services

3. Hospitalization

4. Maternity and newborn care

5. Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral
health treatment

6. Prescription drugs

7. Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices

8. Laboratory services

9. Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management

10. Pediatric services, including oral and vision care

Subsidies & Credits For Individuals:

Those who don’t have access to affordable, minimum essential health
coverage can buy a health plan from the exchange and get a credit or
subsidy if they meet income requirements. Credits and subsidies help
with the cost of premiums and out-of-pocket health care expenses.

Income requirements:

133% to 400% of federal poverty level

For an individual that equals $15,282 to $45,960 per year (in 2013).

For a family of four that equals $31,322 to $94,200 per year (in 2013).

Filed Under: Affordable Care Act, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Health Insurance Exchange Tagged With: , , ,

Buyer beware: New health insurance subsidies could result in surprise federal tax bills later.

April 2, 2013 by

 

By Associated Press,

Apr 02, 2013 04:58 PM EDT

AP Updated: Tuesday, April 2, 9:58 AM

WASHINGTON — Millions of people who take advantage of government subsidies to help buy health insurance next year could get stung by surprise tax bills if they don’t accurately project their income.

President Barack Obama’s new health care law will offer subsidies to help people buy private health insurance on state-based exchanges, if they don’t already get coverage through their employers. The subsidies are based on income. The lower your income, the bigger the subsidy.

 But the government doesn’t know how much money you’re going to make next year. And when you apply for the subsidy, this fall, it won’t even know how much you’re making this year. So, unless you tell the government otherwise, it will rely on the best information it has: your 2012 tax return, filed this spring.
What happens if you or your spouse gets a raise and your family income goes up in 2014? You could end up with a bigger subsidy than you are entitled to. If that happens, the law says you have to pay back at least part of the money when you file your tax return in the spring of 2015.

That could result in smaller tax refunds or surprise tax bills for millions of middle-income families.

“That’s scary,” says Joan Baird of Springfield, Va. “I had no idea, and I work in health care.”

Baird, a health care information management worker, is far from alone. Health care providers, advocates and tax experts say the vast majority of Americans know very little about the new health care law, let alone the kind of detailed information many will need to navigate its system of subsidies and penalties.

“They know it’s out there,” said Mark Cummings, who manages the H&R Block office where Baird was getting her own taxes done. “But in general, they don’t know anything about it.”

A draft of the application for insurance asks people to project their 2014 income if their current income is not steady or if they expect it to change. The application runs 15 pages for a three-person family, but nowhere does it warn people that they may have to repay part of the subsidy if their income increases.

“I think this will be the hardest thing for members of the public to understand because it is a novel aspect of this tax credit,” said Catherine Livingston, who recently served as health care counsel for the Internal Revenue Service. “I can’t think of what else they do in the tax system currently that works that way.” Livingston is now a partner in the Washington office of the law firm Jones Day.

There’s another wrinkle: The vast majority of taxpayers won’t actually receive the subsidies. Instead, the money will be paid directly to insurance companies and consumers will get the benefit in reduced premiums.

Health care providers and advocates for people who don’t have insurance are planning public awareness campaigns to teach people about the health care law and its benefits.

Enroll America, a coalition of health care providers and advocates, is planning a multimillion-dollar campaign using social media, paid advertising and grass-roots organizing to encourage people who don’t have insurance to sign up for it, said Anne Filipic, a former Obama White House official who is now president of the organization.

Filed Under: Health Care Reform, Health Insurance Tagged With:

Health Insurance Exchange

March 11, 2013 by

Health insurance marketplace opens

Starting in October 2013, there’s one more way to get health coverage. It’s called the health insurance marketplace (also known as exchanges). It gives you another way to compare and buy health insurance.

All plans in the marketplace are run by health insurance companies and offer a core set of benefits called “essential health benefits.” These benefits include ER care, hospital stays, maternity and newborn care, prescription drugs and preventive care. You can choose from four levels of coverage: bronze, silver, gold and platinum.

Each level may have a few plans to choose from, with bronze having the lowest monthly premium but you pay more for your care. Platinum plans have the highest monthly premium, but you pay less when you get care.

More preventive care coverage for Medicaid

The Affordable Care Act aims to expand Medicaid to provide coverage for more Americans. States decide whether to expand their Medicaid program. If they do, the expansion means more funds for services that prevent diseases and obesity. People who qualify for Medicaid can get annual exams and vaccines for free. If you’re a woman, mammograms and other wellness checkups are covered at 100%.

 

The goal is to make it easier for people with Medicaid to take care of their health. Getting the right preventive care is tough when you have limited funds. But this care can prevent serious diseases and the need for costly care later on. The extra funds from the federal government can help Medicaid members get regular checkups and screenings at no charge.

 

Here’s what’s different

More people can qualify for Medicaid as funding from the federal government goes up. That means more people with lower income can get free preventive care.

How it impacts you

If you have Medicaid coverage, the law makes it a little easier to take care of your health. Extra federal funds can help your state cover preventive care. So annual exams, vaccines and certain screenings are free.

Do Medicaid programs in all states cover preventive care?

Yes. Each state has its own rules on Medicaid, but health care reform requires all plans to cover preventive care. Extra funds from the federal government help the states pay for it. States that choose to expand Medicaid coverage to 133% of the federal poverty can get full federal funding. With the expansion, a person under 65 who earns less than $14,500 a year can qualify for Medicaid. Or a family of up four earning less than $29,700 a year.

What does Medicaid expansion mean?

Medicaid expansion means offering health care coverage to more people with low incomes. Giving states extra funds for preventive care is part of the Medicaid expansion in health care reform.

 

Are there other changes to Medicaid benefits?

Yes. Products and services to help quit smoking will be covered starting in 2014. States can choose to cover family planning services and supplies. Coverage for prescriptions will increase.

Financial help with tax credits or a subsidy

In 2014, if you meet the criteria, you might be able to get a subsidy to help you pay for your health plan. You can use it for any plan offered in the health insurance marketplace (also known as exchanges).

How to qualify: You have to make less than a certain amount (as reported on your last federal tax return). You must be a U.S. citizen or legal U.S. alien.

Who qualifies for a subsidy?

  • People who are 133 to 400% of the federal poverty level.* That means you make between $14,856 and $44,680 a year.
  • A family of four that is 133 to 400% of the federal poverty level,* meaning you make between $30,656 and $92,000 a year.
  • People who are up to 250% of the federal poverty level.* This group might get an extra subsidy with a silver level plan.

Keep in mind, this financial help isn’t offered to people who have other low-cost choices, like Medicaid or Medicare. You also don’t qualify if health plan at work is affordable. This means your share of the premium is less than 9.5% of your earnings.

 

Here’s what’s new

Open enrollment starts October 1, 2013. Plan coverage can start as early as January 1, 2014.

How it could impact you

If you can get a subsidy, you’ll pay a lower monthly premium when you buy a plan in the health insurance marketplace.

Have questions?

If I qualify, do I wait until tax time to get the credit?

No. You can get it when you pay for your health insurance. It will be taken from your premium. The IRS will send the amount of your tax credit to the insurance company.

What if I buy a plan from an insurer?

You can still do that. Tax credits can only be used when you buy a plan in the marketplace.

Other than earnings, what else determines if I get a tax credit?

 

  • Number of people in your family
  • Your age
  • Where you live

These things also influence how large of a tax credit you get back.

*The federal poverty level may vary by state.

 

Filed Under: Health Care Reform, Health Insurance Tagged With:

Here’s a List of Tax Hikes & Fees Coming With Obamacare Next Year!

December 28, 2012 by

Starting in 2014, Barack Obama’s health care law will expand coverage to some 30 million uninsured people. At the same time, insurers no longer will be allowed to turn away those in poor health, and virtually every American will be required to have health insurance — or pay a fine. Insurance will be available through an employer or a government program or by buying it on their own.

Here’s a look at some of the major taxes and fees, estimated to total nearly $700 billion over 10 years.

– Upper-income households. Starting Jan. 1, individuals making more than $200,000 per year, and couples making more than $250,000 will face a 0.9 percent Medicare tax increase on wages above those threshold amounts. They’ll also face an additional 3.8 percent tax on investment income. Together these are the biggest tax increase in the health care law.

– Employer penalties. Starting in 2014, companies with 50 or more employees that do not offer coverage will face penalties if at least one of their employees receives government-subsidized coverage. The penalty is $2,000 per employee, but a company’s first 30 workers don’t count toward the total.

– Health care industries. Insurers, drug companies and medical device manufacturers face new fees and taxes. Companies that make medical equipment sold chiefly through doctors and hospitals, such as pacemakers, artificial hips and coronary stents, will pay a 2.3 percent excise tax on their sales, expected to total $1.7 billion in its first year, 2013. They’re trying to get it repealed.

The insurance industry faces an annual fee that starts at $8 billion in its first year, 2014.

Pharmaceutical companies that make or import brand-name drugs are already paying fees; they totaled $2.5 billion in 2011, their first year.

– People who don’t get health insurance. Nearly 6 million people who don’t get health insurance will face tax penalties starting in 2014. The fines are estimated to raise $6.9 billion in 2016. Average penalty in that year: about $1,200.

– Indoor tanning devotees. The 10 percent sales tax on indoor tanning sessions took effect in 2010. It’s expected to raise $1.5 billion over 10 years.

The 28 million people who visit tanning booths and beds each year — most of them are women under 30, according to the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology — are already paying.

Filed Under: Health Care Reform Tagged With: ,

Government’s Expanding Role In Providing Health Care

November 23, 2012 by

Our Government’s Expanding Role in Providing Health Care

One overarching critical question about health care reform is, “What exactly should government’s role be in the American health care system?”

This is a complex question, and your answer to this question—perhaps more than any other aspect of the issue—probably determines how you feel about the Patient Protection and Affordable Act (PPACA). Whatever else the new law does or doesn’t do, one thing is certain: It significantly changes the government’s role in U.S. health care.

Let’s consider the possibilities—all of which exist in varying degrees and combinations around the globe:

  • Minimal Role—Governments of less-developed nations often play a minimal role in regulating and providing health care.
  • Safety Regulator—For safety and health, governments at the regional or national level often license health care providers and regulate medicine and medical devices.
  • Purchaser and Partial Provider of Health Care Services—Governments, including the U.S. federal government, often provide health insurance benefits as employers. Governments may also directly provide or pay for medical services to certain groups of people, such as the elderly, active military personnel, or veterans.
  • Marketplace Regulator—In some nations, government tightly regulates the business practices of the health care system and even requires residents to purchase health insurance.
  • Primary or Sole Provider of Health Care—Elsewhere, governments operate national health care systems, often funded directly by taxation. Also known as single-payer systems, the government in these systems is the sole provider of health insurance coverage and may also manage many aspects of health care delivery. Health care providers may be government employees, and hospitals government-run.

Most Americans recognize the need for some level of medical safety regulation. It also makes sense for government agencies to provide employees with health insurance benefits, just like many private-sector employers.

Before PPACA, U.S. and state governments played the roles of safety regulator, purchaser and partial provider, and limited marketplace regulator. The new health care reform law, if fully implemented, will drastically change the government’s role in health care.

Lawmakers originally wanted the federal government to become the central provider of health insurance. As enacted, the health care law does not go this far, but it does make government into a large-scale regulator of the health care marketplace. Because PPACA threatens market-based competition, quality, and innovation, while limiting choices and options for American consumers, it is, arguably, a dramatic first step towards a single-payer system in which the government could become the sole provider of health care insurance and services.

Filed Under: Health Care Reform Tagged With: ,

Health Care Reform

November 16, 2012 by

Health Care Reform

Penalty 101: Arguably, the most critical component of the Affordable Care Act, the individual mandate requires every American to either carry health insurance or face a fine.  Last month, a Congressional Budget Office analysis estimated that 11-12 million uninsured Americans would be subject to the individual mandate, with more than half expected to pay the fine rather than obtain coverage.  What that means is that, beginning in 2014, many consumers who can afford health insurance but elect to go without, must pay penalties to the IRS when they file their taxes the following year.  And, while these penalties start off small, they ramp up to their full levels by 2016.  But, due to the inherent confusion accompanying full implementation, it is believed that more people than previously estimated may face the penalty.

 

Filed Under: Health Care Reform, Health Insurance Tagged With: , ,
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