Heard of this little-known benefit of the new health law?

[ProSense]

Heard of this little-known benefit of the new health law?

Help with out-of-pocket medical costs for lower-income consumers

Q. My only income is $1,400 a month from Social Security Disability. I don’t have health insurance and I won’t be eligible for Medicare for almost two years. It’s cruel for the government to force me to buy coverage I can’t afford!

A. An upset-sounding woman called a network public affairs program I tuned into last night with this concern. Unfortunately, the expert taking the call got an important part of the answer wrong. He said, correctly, that she’d receive a subsidy for the premium—but added that she would still be facing an annual deductible of $4,000 or more.

The last part of his answer was just plain wrong. One of the lesser-known benefits of the new health care law is that anyone with an income of less than 250 percent of the federal poverty level—as the lady who called in most assuredly has—not only gets a tax credit to lower the cost of the premium, but a huge break on out-of-pocket costs.

The caller didn’t reveal her age or location, but for illustration’s sake let’s say she’s 60 years old and lives in San Jose, Calif. This is not a random choice; California is running its own health insurance marketplace, Covered California, and it allows visitors to easily preview their subsidies and insurance choices before registering at the site. (If only Healthcare.gov, the federal site that's the portal to the insurance marketplaces of 36 states, could do as well.)

And it turns out that with her income of $16,800 a year, this lady’s insurance will cost next to nothing to buy and to use.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/10/help-ith-out-of-pocket-medical-costs/index.htm

Link to list of free preventive services
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023828253

[truedelphi]

1. Well if this is indeed the case - then why the HELL

Aren't people hearing about this???????

I am less than four months away from having to shell out for my share of the subsidized Big Insurer-give-away-via-ACA-enforced premiums. (The household makes a mere $ 70 a month too much for Medicaid.)

Who is it that I or anyone else in the public get to call when I do need help paying a medical bill, but the Big Insurer tells me I need to meet the deductible?
(One of my three choices on the Calif. exchange is the same Big Insurer that made it nigh impossible to be re-imbursed for a needed surgery back in 2009.)

Why can the President jump up quickly on his Bully Pulpit to emphasize the need for a war against Syria ( a war we actually have been fighting via the USA propped up rebels for over 18 months) yet no one inside the Beltway has any way of making the essential elements of the ACA available to the public.

This to me suggests the program is very flawed. Back in the old days, when person had a health insurance policy, they actually had the paper policy at hand top refer to./ i don't even think we get that much out of the program.

[displacedtexan]

3. You can download plan booklets at Covered California

https://www.coveredca.com/coverage-basics/plans.html

Hope this helps. If not, the Kaiser Foundation website has tons of California ACA info.

[truedelphi]

6. Thank you for the link.

Having a bit of knowledge about all this might help my blood pressure.

[Thinkingabout]

2. I would like to add more to this. Social Security recipients receive on average of $1200 a month.

Those on Medicare pay around $105 a month for Medicare premiums, these folks has expenses like this disabled person receives. Where could they get health insurance but Medicare? Not many places. Am I happy Medicare is available, yes, I am saying there is a group of folks which pays $100 a month for Medicare. BTW, in two years this disabled person will go onto Medicare and will be paying $100 a month for Medicare, their allotted amount will not increase to cover but will remain the same and Medicare contribution will be deducted from their allotted amount.

[Curmudgeoness]

7. I agree that this is a problem

and what makes it worse is that the $105 is just for the Medicare premiums. But there is a lot that is not covered by Medicare, and most people need a supplemental policy to cover those expenses. I don't know if Obamacare will have any affect on this, but there will be a gap between the help for the younger people and Medicare coverage. I wonder if this will continue.

[Cha]

4. thanks, PS.. much better than $4,000!

[ProSense]

5. You're welcome.

Yeah, much better.

[busterbrown]

8. Always can rely on you P.S.

You have knack for being on top of most issues surrounding Obamacare..
Thanks..

P.S.....Most important issue of our times..This succeeds...It changes everything..

[BlancheSplanchnik]

9. kick. rec. :) n/t

[Iliyah]

10. K & R

[dawnie51]

11. Another benefit....

My husband and I have several tests during the year; blood tests for HBP meds, cardiac echo for him, things of that nature. Always got a summary: cost was $, we paid $. you owe $. We always had several big bills to pay after all was said and done. I noticed this year we still get the summary, with the same breakdown. But now there's a paragraph added stating that we are not responsible for the overage. I waited for a bill from the lab, the cardiologist, whomever and none ever came so I inquired. ACA baby! The providers are accepting what the insurance pays for preventative care. I LOVE ACA!