Contributed by K.T. McKee
Rumors of the death of Obamacare have been greatly exaggerated.
The Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. Obamacare) is still alive and well, including the tax penalty if you remain uncovered in 2018, although there are exceptions to that (see penalty exemptions and details about the penalty at www.Healthcare.gov).
If you have no other options for health insurance such as employer-supplied coverage, VA coverage, Medicaid or Medicare, you may very well qualify for a Premera Blue Cross policy through the Health Insurance Marketplace. That comes with advanced premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions that will cut your out-of-pocket costs.
The Open Enrollment Period this year is much shorter than it has been in the past, however. It only runs for six weeks and will end December 15th. Please don’t put this off! Look into it as soon as possible, including making an appointment with a certified ACA assister in the Valley who can help you navigate the Marketplace at no charge.
You can call me at 891-6940 or go to www.getcoveredalaska.org for a full list of assisters in Mat-Su and around the state.
Since Open Enrollment began on November 1st, I have helped a variety of Valley residents enroll or re-enroll in coverage for 2018. All of them have walked out of my office relieved that they will not have to go without health insurance next year.
One consumer I helped re-enroll the other day has been battling a rare disease that required expensive tests for diagnosis earlier this year. Most of those costs were covered by this person’s Premera policy gained during last year’s ACA Open Enrollment. If not for that coverage, he or she has no idea how those expensive procedures would have been paid for.
I also recently helped someone making about $25K per year enroll in Obamacare coverage for the first time. She walked away with a premium of only $66 per month and a deductible of only $1,000. Her out-of-pocket maximum is only about $1,800. Anyone who knows insurance knows this is a great deal. She was excited that she can finally go to the doctor and get some nagging health concerns addressed. Others with higher incomes are paying more for their coverage, yet all seemed pleased for the opportunity to enroll.
Peace of mind is priceless.
We also can assist those whose incomes make them eligible for Medicaid, although they can enroll in Medicaid at any time of the year and don’t have to worry about the December 15th deadline.
A single person can make up to $20,783 per year and qualify for Medicaid. A family of two can make up to $28K, a family of four up to $42,435, etc. Anyone with a household income that is 138% or less of the Alaska Poverty Line qualifies for Medicaid. Before the Medicaid expansion in Alaska, many people below the poverty line didn’t qualify for anything.
If you are unsure if you’re eligible, please reach out soon to get those questions answered. That’s what we’re here for.
K.T. McKee is a navigator program specialist for the Mat-Su through the Alaska Primary Care Association and a long-time Valley resident. She also can be reached at ktmckee@alaskapca.org.
