Huzzah for Obamacare
by digby
I've been worried about the fact that some people will see their premiums go up under Obamacare and that the inevitable backlash would threaten the positive aspects of the reforms (especially considering our current political deadlock.) I also wondered what would happen to my husband and me, who are middle aged, middle class and in the private insurance market.
I found out today by going to the Covered California website: we are going to get a substantially better plan and save a bit of money. (At least I think so based on the calculator...) Hooray for Obamacare.
This part seems a little bit unwieldy for people who own their own businesses or work on a consulting or freelance basis, however:
Any eligible Californian without insurance can shop through Covered California for coverage, regardless of income. Your income level helps determine your eligibility for Medi-Cal coverage or a government assistance program, such as a tax credit, to help pay your premium. If your income changes over the year, your tax credit will be adjusted accordingly. If your income increases, you will have to pay the difference at tax time. It will be important that you keep on top of any income changes so you have an idea of how much you will owe at tax time.
If you have Medi-Cal coverage and your income increases to more than $15,415 a year for an individual or $31,810 for a family of four, you would no longer qualify for this no-cost government insurance plan. However, through Covered California, you could find affordable coverage and tax credits to help pay the premiums.
People in the private insurance market are subject to big fluctuations in income, so this could be challenging. We'll have to see how that works out. But overall, I'm very pleased, at least as it concerns my own personal situation in California. If most people are in my position when all this shakes out, this is going to be a success here.
As for the rest of the country I can't imagine. California is actually trying to make it work and from the looks of things the private health care market is going to be improved. Other states, not so much...
And lest on thinks the conservatives will do everything they can to ensure that it doesn't work, read this by Ed Kilgore.
Update: Via dday, (who wrote about some of this earlier at Salon) I got this email from Health Access California which shows that it's not completely sunny in California just yet. While people like me might be better off, if the Governor has his way, a number of poor people may be out of luck --- even with the medicaid expansion under the ACA:
GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE'S DECISION ON THE BUDGET COULD CUT SAFETY-NET, INCLUDING FOR THE REMAINING UNINSURED: "As the federal Affordable Care Act is ready to expand coverage and increase investments in our health system, this state budget would seek to cut $300 million immediately and $1.3 billion in 2016--over 75% of the funds to serve the remaining uninsured through the county health infrastructure we have built up over years." said Wright. "California needs a safety-net that survives and thrives, and we should not prematurely reduce the resources already set aside to serve the 3-4 million remaining uninsured."
"Decisions made in the next few days may very well reduce our safety-net capacity at public hospitals, clinics, and county low-income health programs. It's shameful if California policymakers, while the Affordable Care Act is expanding access for so many, actually cuts and curtails access to others." said Wright. "The Governor's formula to take savings would restrict many counties from providing safety-net care and coverage for many of the remaining uninsured, and the Legislature should not allow that."
"At the time we need all the capacity we can get, the current budget would go forward with cuts for both public and private health care providers, which would make it harder for both the insured and uninsured to get the care they need when they need it." said Wright. "The Governor would continue cuts to Medi-Cal dental services to 3 million Californians, and to Medi-Cal provider rates, which prevents many Californians from getting in to see a doctor or specialist when they need it. Cancelling the pending Medi-Cal provider rate cut or restoring dental coverage would bring in one-to-one federal matching dollars for those now in Medi-Cal, but be full federally funded for those newly-eligible under the Affordable Care Act. If California wanted to maxmize the benefits of the law and take a truly leadership position, California should make the investments to get that immediate return for California families, for our health system, for our economy."
I can't imagine why they would want to do this since it brings in the 1-1 federal matching funds, but it's on the table. It affects the poorest of the poor -- the homeless and those who have no dependents.What a ridiculous place to "save" money. It's not as if these people won't get sick.
Lord this is a complicated piece of legislation. Multiply these issues by 50 and imagine how hard it's going to be to get it off the ground safely before the Republicans get into power and start chipping away at it.
One can easily understand why single-payer advocates were so exasperated. It would have been a hell of a lot simpler to just put everyone in the same system. And a hell of a lot harder to take them out.
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