I have been trying to help a dear friend with signing up for the Mandatory Health Insurance - "Obamacare."
Situation:
Single, mid 50s, some college education plus trade training, unemployed (not for lack of trying), lives with a relative. Not extremely computer savvy, but no regular access to a computer anyway. No children.
I have read through the healthcare.gov website multiple times and it looked to me like she was screwed. My friend tried to call several times but only has a prepaid cell phone with limited minutes. When you call they tell you right away to make sure that your phone is fully charged. Each time she got in the cue it was 'wait time 45 minutes' or 'wait time 60 minutes.' Someone on a limited income with a prepaid phone with limited minutes, can't just sit on hold for an unlimited amount of time. They did say that if you left a number they would call you back after April 1. Well, I guess that was the April Fool's joke as they never gave you a time or way to leave a phone number. I got the same message today.
As a last ditch effort I spent an hour on the phone with a very personable, and informed 'representative' when I called the Healthcare.gov phone number. Well actually it was about 8 minutes with the representative and 52 minutes on hold.
I was told that if she had a taxable income where she filed taxes and paid enough in to cover the premiums, she could probably get a tax credit for part of the premiums paid - a minimum of $268 per month. But since she doesn't have any income, and is not qualified for Medicare since she doesn't have any children, she is required to have the insurance. What does that $268 per month get her you might ask? It gets her a $6,300 deductible, then office visits and some tests are covered. Any hospitalization is a whole different category. So someone with no income, no other Federal or State aid (she gets $50 per month in food stamps, but nothing else), has to come up with $268 per month, out of thin air, and then still pay out of pocket until at least $6,300 per year. So in other numbers $3,216 in premiums, plus $6,300 for 'regular deductibles' for someone with no income. Hmmm... Must be that new math.
But if she doesn't buy the insurance, and needs some coverage or makes enough to file taxes next year she must pay the penalty: 1% of her income or $95.00 whichever is higher. Let's see almost $10,000 per year out of pocket before coverage kicks in or $95 as a penalty for not having insurance. Which would you choose?
US citizens, or legal residents, will be required to provide proof of insurance when we file our taxes. People who are not US citizens or legal residents, do not have to prove that they are here legally and will receive health care with no out of pocket, because they don't have to file taxes!
This is just not right.
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