1. MILLIONS WHO DIDN'T QUALIFY FOR FINANCIAL HELP BEFORE DO NOW...AND IT COULD SAVE YOU *THOUSANDS* OF DOLLARS!!
(and those who already qualified are now eligible for *more* help!)
This table shows the financial help sliding scale under the #ACA (which cuts off help for middle-class enrollees)...and under the #AmRescuePlan, which covers 100% of the premiums for millions of people & caps them at no more than 8.5% EVEN FOR MIDDLE-CLASS AMERICANS:
2. THE ENHANCED/EXPANDED SUBSIDIES ARE AVAILABLE IN MOST STATES ALREADY, BUT SOME MAY TAKE LONGER.
HC.gov & most state ACA exchanges have already gone live w/the #ARP-enhanced subsidies...but residents of some states may have to wait a bit.
ALL eligible enrollees WILL receive the extra subsidies eventually; at worst, they'll show up at tax time next spring:
3. DON'T MISS THE NEW DEADLINE!
Residents of most states have until August 15th, but the deadline is sooner in some states. If you miss the deadline, most people won't be able to #GetCovered until next year (with some exceptions)!
Here's the current 2021 Special Enrollment Period deadlines in every state +DC, as well as who's eligible to take advantage of it! In most states it's open to EVERY documented U.S. resident; in a few states it's only for those currently uninsured. NOTE: IDAHO's deadline is 4/30!
4. AVOID JUNK PLANS! MAKE SURE YOU'RE ENROLLING IN AN #ACA-COMPLIANT PLAN, THRU AN ACA-APPROVED EXCHANGE WEBSITE!
Junk plans have always been a bad idea unless you had no other choice...and thanks to the #AmRescuePlan, NO ONE HAS TO! *EVERYONE* can afford an #ACA plan now!
Here's a table of the *official* #ACA exchange website for all 50 states + DC. Note that there are 3rd-party sites authorized to sell ACA plans as well like HealthSherpa, but some of those also sell non-compliant plans. Stick to sites which *only* sell on-exchange #ACA plans!
5. IN SOME STATES YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY A FINANCIAL PENALTY IF YOU *DON'T* #GETCOVERED!
The federal mandate may be gone, but CA, DC, MA, NJ and RI have their own penalty for residents who don't have #ACA-compliant healthcare coverage (unless you qualify for an exemption).
Here's a table summarizing the annual mandate penalty in each of these states for NOT having #ACA-compliant healthcare coverage (unless you qualify for an affordability or other exemption, which many people do):
6. MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE NOW ELIGIBLE FOR *FREE PLATINUM PLANS* (LABELED AS SILVER PLANS)!
That's right: If you earn less than 200% FPL (~$25,5K/yr if you're single; ~$52K for a family of four), CHOOSE A SILVER PLAN...IT'S ACTUALLY PLATINUM IN DISGUISE!
Due to how #ACA subsidies work & w/the extra help of the #ARP, if you earn < 150% FPL you can get a *free* Silver plan w/*extra* CSR savings that effectively turn it into PLATINUM...& if you earn 150 - 200% FPL, it'll cost no more than 2% of your income: acasignups.net/21/04/01/milli…
7. MANY PEOPLE WHO EARN *MORE* THAN 200% FPL ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FREE *GOLD* PLANS!
It's an ABSURDLY stupid story, but the bottom line is that thanks to a long series of events, many people who earn *more* than 200% FPL will find Gold plans with premiums lower than Silver...or even for $0/month: acasignups.net/21/04/13/updat…
8. IN MOST STATES, CURRENT #ACA ENROLLEES ARE BEING ALLOWED TO *SWITCH PLANS* MID-YEAR IF THEY WANT TO!
Normally, can't switch healthcare plans mid-year unless you have a Qualifying Life Event...but during the 2021 Special Enrollment Period, *most* states are letting you do so.
9. IF YOU'RE ON UNEMPLOYMENT IN 2021, YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR A $0-PREMIUM "SECRET PLATINUM" PLAN...EVEN IN "MEDICAID GAP" STATES!
Via the #AmRescuePlan, anyone on unemployment in 2021 counts as earning 133% FPL...which means many in the #MedicaidGap will qualify for a $0-premium, low-deductible #ACA plan! ("High-CSR Silver").
10. (sigh) I hate to harsh my own buzz by ending this thread on a down note, but I do have to remind everyone that yes, it's still possible that the SCOTUS could strike down the entire #ACA due to a jaw-droppingly stupid lawsuit.
The decision is expected...soon.
Congress still has time to #MootTheSuit, but as far as I can tell, they've decided to wait for the ruling itself. If #SCOTUS upholds the #ACA, great. If it strikes the law down...well, there's still chance they'll issue a simple legislative fix.
I hope. acasignups.net/21/04/23/updat…
Anyway, if you find my work useful and want to support it, you can do so here, thanks! /END acasignups.net/support
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📣 Ahead of tonight’s big speech: I have no idea if he’ll give an update on ACA enrollment, but if he does, I’m guessing he’ll announce over 1.0 million ADDITIONAL exchange enrollees via HealthCare.Gov alone since the relaunched enrollment period started on 2/15.
According to @JStein_WaPo, it sounds like Biden will be proposing $200B to make the expanded #ACA subsidies permanent, but no other major healthcare provisions *at the moment*. This actually makes more sense than you may think given this poll: acasignups.net/21/04/27/huh-s…
Having said that, the WH resistance to going bigger in healthcare *at the moment* seems to center around passing #HR3 to pay for other stuff, which is fiercely opposed by #PhRMA.
Wyoming just became the 27th state where more than 1 out of 10 residents has tested positive for #COVID19 to date.
📣 UPDATE/CORRECTION: As @mlow29 just noted, all my estimates until now have been based on 2019 estimated state population data--with the US Census Bureau having released at least the statewide April 2020 numbers, I've updated my spreadsheet...
...as a result of the updated, official Census data, SOUTH DAKOTA now takes the TOP SPOT in cumulative #COVID19 cases per capita.
NORTH Dakota now ranks second, and RHODE ISLAND drops back to third, at least for the moment.
Just from eyeballing the graph, it looks like 60-64 would be around ~$550/mo at Medicare rates, or conversely that 65-69 would cost ~$1,200/mo at private insurance rates.
And THIS is why hospitals are firmly opposed to lowering the Medicare age by even 5 years: They'd see their revenue cut nearly in half from ~20 million people, which would mean either a) taking a profit loss (gasp!) or b) trying to raise rates even further for everyone else.
--Over 400,000 Asian Americans in California alone are eligible for the #AmRescuePlan's expanded financial subsidies
--Many can get a high-quality #ACA plan for as little as $1/mo; current off-exchange enrollees could save up to $700/mo
A few examples:
--a 21-yr old single adult in West LA earning $25.5K/yr can get a #SecretPlatinum plan for just $43/mo *or* a Bronze plan for just $1/mo
(she should go for the former, aka "Enhanced Silver", tho)
Having said that, note that I say "...BY 2024". Dems should go for as much as they can get right now (which should include adding dental, vision, hearing & a drug MOOP to Medicare, which would be MASSIVE).
Again: If the CBO scores haven't changed much & the other estimates are close, Dems should be within ~$100B of passing a robust ACA 2.0 upgrade AND dramatically beefing up Medicare coverage...and possibly closing the Medicaid Gap at the same time: acasignups.net/21/04/25/updat…