What is the state if healthcare

Would you rather have obamacare or affordable health care?

What is affordable health care?

Everything you need to know about health care

• The deadline

Open enrollment runs between October 1 and March 31. You don't have to sign up that first day. In fact, you may want to put off paying for it until December. Plans bought through the exchanges won't start until January 1.

December 14 is the cut-off date if you want your plan to start January 1. Open enrollment runs through March 31. If you sign up in January or February your coverage will start the following month

• If you don't get insurance

If you don't sign up to get insurance, you'll list that on your 2014 tax return.

The fee for the first year is $95 per adult and $47.50 per child (up to $285 per family), or 1% of your income, whatever is higher.

In 2015, it jumps to 2% of your income, or $325 per adult and $162.50 per child. In 2016, it will jump to 2.5% of your income.

• Where to start

If you have Internet access, start with the Web. Beginning October 1, Healthcare.gov will have the information you need. The government site will link to where you sign up for the program.

Go first to "get insurance." That tab will get you to a page that will walk you through whatever marketplace is available to you. Some states set up their own; the federal government runs the rest. On this site you can also compare the plans available in your area.

You may also want to see if you are eligible for Medicaid here. So far, 26 states are moving toward expanding who is eligible for the federal government-funded health program for lower income families and individuals.

You can also enroll by mail.

Obama offers funding to help communities understand Obamacare

The government has set up call centers to help people with open enrollment. Call 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325). The number is staffed around-the-clock. Information is available in more than 150 languages.

There will also be specially trained advisers in communities. These "navigators," as they are known, can help you in person. There will also be federally authorized marketplace-designated organizations. They will be based in community health centers, at the mall, in drug stores and in churches. Depending on state law, traditional agents and insurance brokers can also help.

Unlike brokers or agents, navigators and marketplace-designated organizations can educate you about the plans, but they cannot tell you which plan to pick. Their advice is free. If someone who is a navigator or a federally designated organization tries to charge you, it is a scam

How does Obamacare affect Medicaid recipients?

In August, Michigan became the 25th state to approve the Medicaid expansion, a key part of the ACA. Under new Medicaid expansion rules starting April 2014, people who previously were ineligible may now qualify. New rules state that anyone earning up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level (which currently is about $15,800 for a single person and $32,500 for a family of four, according to www.healthcare.gov) qualifies. To see whether you qualify for Medicaid in Michigan, contact a state Medicaid agency or fill out an application for coverage in the Health Insurance Marketplace. After submitting the application, applicants will be notified of plans for which they qualify. If they’re eligible for Medicaid, the Medicaid agency will be notified so coverage can start in 2014.

How are businesses affected by ACA?

The law does not require employers to provide health insurance, however, any employer with 50 or more full-time employees that doesn’t provide this coverage must pay a fee. Employers that do provide coverage must meet the minimum ACA “qualifying plan” requirements. Smaller businesses (with less than 25 employees) that pay all or part of employees’ health insurance may be eligible for a tax credit.

What about individuals who are self-employed, retired, US veterans or currently uninsured?

The insurance marketplace (www.healthcare.gov) allows the self-employed and uninsured to shop for “more affordable” health care options. Retirees may find supplemental plans that are less expensive or offer more comprehensive coverage at the marketplace. For people enrolled in a VA health care plan, no action is necessary as the plan meets ACA requirements.


Other sites to look up:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/healthreform/healthcare-overview

https://www.coveredca.com/

Jimmy Kimmel Affordable care act: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx2scvIFGjE