Taxpayer subsidies for health insurance have been available to millions of Americans since the Affordable Care Act was enacted during the Obama administration.
But it’s not for everyone.
People who make too much money to qualify for Medicaid and pay too little to pay policies from their employers that cover the rest of their families end up in what has come to be known as “family glitches.” Even though the cost of covering spouses and children has proven to be very expensive, the government has made policies for individual employers of these workers affordable. I thought there was.
that has changed.
These workers can now enroll in health insurance through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace, qualify for government subsidies, and purchase insurance for the rest of their families.
“(The ‘family glitch’) really let a lot of people down,” said Kathy Hempstead, senior policy advisor for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. , that’s like $1,300 a month to cover my family. You know I’m so disappointed.
“Now more people will be eligible for subsidies and find the costs more reasonable,” she said.
The registration period for the ACA Marketplace began on Tuesday. Valid until January 15th. Those wishing to start coverage in early 2023 must register by December 15th.
Experts say changes that expand the reach of subsidies will likely mean more people can buy health insurance.
Over the past few years, “huge numbers of people couldn’t afford insurance,” says Kate Gramlich, a project specialist at Cover Kansas. This organization helps people navigate her ACA Marketplace. “So they’re now uninsured. So with this fixed, we hope to see a significant increase in enrollment and coverage in Kansas.”
Updates that change the “family glitch” could make insurance more affordable for about 40,000 more Kansasians.
“This is a big deal,” Gramlich said.
She said most of the people kept out by the old rules were women and children.
Subsidies and tax credits from the federal pandemic economic stimulus package and the Control Inflation Act enacted earlier this year have largely offset premium hikes by health insurers.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimates that 4 out of 5 people in the market will qualify for a plan that costs $10 or less per month (after calculating tax credits).
In Kansas, UnitedHealthcare entered several counties last year that didn’t sell insurance. This offers new options for some people in the state.
All plans offered in Kansas are exclusive provider organizations, or closed networks. Therefore, Hempstead recommends verifying that your desired doctor or hospital is insured for a particular plan before purchasing a plan.
And she said the process can be confusing. Navigators work at her 18 locations across the state, trained to help people find the best plans.you can find them getcoveredkansas.org Or get online help from that website. These navigators are paid by taxpayers, so there are no costs or sales incentives.
“It can be very overwhelming,” she said. “This is a really big decision.”
Hempstead said people who have already registered through the marketplace should not be automatically re-registered to their existing plans.
“Even in the new year, you may find that one plan is worth more than another,” she said.
With record numbers of registrants last year, experts expect market demand to continue to grow.
David Slusky, an economics professor at the University of Kansas, said the change in ACA policy will continue to increase enrollment.
“The point of the ACA is to provide an affordable way to obtain health insurance for the millions of Americans who did not have health insurance through the previous existing system,” Slutsky said. “That’s the goal. And we’re slowly chipping away at that.”
Samantha Horton reports on the health of the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on her Twitter @SamHorton5.
Kansas News Service, a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW, and High Plains Public Radio, focuses on health, the social determinants of health, and their relationship to public policy.
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