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Valued Contributor
Posts: 666
Registered: ‎09-05-2014

Re: Need Help with Affordable Care Act enrollment

Unless people are being subsidized then I don't understand how it keeps anyone from financial ruin. The deductibles that must be met first are choking as well as the monthly premium.

We ran the numbers based on our income, no subsidy, to have a plan that compare to what we have through employer would be over 2k a month and still needed to meet a 6k deductible. Really, y'all don't find that a financial disaster?

Either you have unlimited funds, or you must be on a highly assisted subsidy plan.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,633
Registered: ‎10-21-2010

Re: Need Help with Affordable Care Act enrollment

I have a question. If I lost my job do to a disability and am now using c o b r a if I don't get enrolled by Dec 15th would I qualify for a special enrolment next year if I quit paying my c o b r a. The reason I ask it says if you lose your job you can get coverage anytime. But you can't drop your coverage. I am not sure if . I am going to be able to chose a plan by the 15th.
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,221
Registered: ‎08-09-2012

Re: Need Help with Affordable Care Act enrollment

On 12/3/2014 happy housewife said:

People who are against the ACA are not aware how dangerously close every one of us is to financial ruin due to a prolonged or chronic illness. They think they are bullet proof. Well - unless you are a billionaire - you are not bulletproof. The wrong illness can cost many hundreds of thousands of dollars in the blink of an eye. And if you think , once you get ill , that you can count on your insurance - you are living in a fools paradise. As soon as you become ill they start searching for the excuse to drop you as you are now a liability to them.

42 years working in ICU - i have heard every sad tale you can imagine and then some. With all it's flaws the ACA is the best thing to happen to this country since medicare.

Thank you so much for this post, HH. You are speaking the truth. I hate to say it, but most insurance companies are unscrupulous at the expense of the people who count on them. And no one should think they're in business because they care about their clients -- they are in business to make money, and it doesn't matter to them how they do it. Thank goodness the ACA abolished their ability to drop anyone who gets sick, and to deny coverage to those with pre-existing conditions.

The ACA has been fought tooth and nail for both poli^tical reasons and because there are too many in D.C. who are in the pockets of the big insurance companies and the pharmaceutical companies. And I must admit, those who have fought against it and still do, were really good at making people believe their lies. The ACA is not perfect, but the parts that are problematic can be fixed. It has done so much good and saved so many lives already.

My personal opinion is that a single payer system, which would basically be Medicare for all, would be the ultimate solution. I had 16 years of paying the exorbitant premiums for an individual policy because I was in business for myself, and I was so glad to finally reach 65 and qualify for Medicare!

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,221
Registered: ‎08-09-2012

Re: Need Help with Affordable Care Act enrollment

On 12/3/2014 ccassaday said: I personally don't like a lot of the components of the ACA. But I have to use it this year. My Ltd is to much for medicaid. My question is once you have chosen a plan can you call a office and get signed up rather then doing it online.

When my son signed up, we went on Healthcare.gov and looked at all the plans and wrote down our questions. We weren't successful at completing the application process (that was when they were still having some problems), and called the number on the website and they completed the application over the phone for him. I would think you can still do that.

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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,221
Registered: ‎08-09-2012

Re: Need Help with Affordable Care Act enrollment

On 12/3/2014 ccassaday said: I have a question. If I lost my job do to a disability and am now using c o b r a if I don't get enrolled by Dec 15th would I qualify for a special enrolment next year if I quit paying my c o b r a. The reason I ask it says if you lose your job you can get coverage anytime. But you can't drop your coverage. I am not sure if . I am going to be able to chose a plan by the 15th.

My son was on COBRA, and even though he signed up before the first enrollment deadline, they told him he wasn't required to meet that deadline. He did qualify for special enrollment because his COBRA was ending after the sign-up deadline. But please don't take my word for it, call them and make sure that's how it works. I've been known to be wrong once or twice in my life! {#emotions_dlg.laugh}

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,221
Registered: ‎08-09-2012

Re: Need Help with Affordable Care Act enrollment

On 12/3/2014 happy housewife said:
On 12/3/2014 LoriMI said:
On 12/3/2014 kittymomNC said:

For those calling the A*C*A a total disaster, there are about 9 million people who would disagree with you, including me! {#emotions_dlg.biggrin}


And me! I needed the Affordable Care Act. I had cancer and needed the policy that can't turn me down.

I have had cancer twice - if I was not on medicare I imagine I would have to use the ACA to get insurance.

BTW, I admire all nurses, but 42 years working in ICU - now that's something to be proud of! {#emotions_dlg.thumbup} And I hope you are fully recovered from your bouts with cancer - having it once would be horrible, but twice? I can't even imagine. {#emotions_dlg.crying}

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,633
Registered: ‎10-21-2010

Re: Need Help with Affordable Care Act enrollment

Thanks kitty. I guess I meant can you call the insurance carrier that you choose to sign up. I am a nervous wreck because starting in Jan my subsidy for c o b r a runs out and we have to start Paying almost 700 dollars s month to keep it. I need to research and try and have a plan so I don't have to pay that.
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,633
Registered: ‎10-21-2010

Re: Need Help with Affordable Care Act enrollment

Thanks kitty. I guess I meant can you call the insurance carrier that you choose to sign up. I am a nervous wreck because starting in Jan my subsidy for c o b r a runs out and we have to start Paying almost 700 dollars s month to keep it. I need to research and try and have a plan so I don't have to pay that.
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,221
Registered: ‎08-09-2012

Re: Need Help with Affordable Care Act enrollment

On 12/3/2014 ccassaday said: Thanks kitty. I guess I meant can you call the insurance carrier that you choose to sign up. I am a nervous wreck because starting in Jan my subsidy for c o b r a runs out and we have to start Paying almost 700 dollars s month to keep it. I need to research and try and have a plan so I don't have to pay that.

I think you should be able to do that. My son's policy is with Blue Cross (they're about the only company available here in NC), and they're always advertising on TV to call them to sign up. So even if you haven't settled on a specific plan yet, you could try calling a couple of companies you think you might be interested in and find out. I don't know what state you're in, so that has a lot to do with how many companies you have to choose from. NC opted not to set up their own exchange, so only a couple of companies offered plans under ACA. Blue Cross has had pretty much of a monopoly on health insurance here for as long as I can remember, but if we had our own state exchange, my understanding is that more companies would have been willing to offer plans here.

BTW, that $700 a month rings a loud bell with me. I was self-employed for the last 15 years before I qualified for Medicare, and I was paying Blue Cross between $600 and $700 a month for about 12 of those years. Now with the ACA, if they don't spend at least 85% (I think it's 85) of your premium on actual health care, they have to refund part of your premium. They never even came close to paying that much for me - they made out like bandits with my premium!

Good luck to you with getting a plan - I know it will settle your mind a lot.

Frequent Contributor
Posts: 78
Registered: ‎06-28-2010

Re: Need Help with Affordable Care Act enrollment

Yes...it is a disaster. The premium is high but good gosh the deductible you have to meet is absolutely ridiculous. Plus be prepared to lose your doctor. I can almost bet that will happen. You people that say it's good to have insurance may not be on it. Good luck.