HEALTH LAW? Sign-up Begins Tuesday Even if Government is Shut Down
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Michigan's federally operated exchange, the new Health Insurance Marketplace, will open for business on Tuesday, Oct. 1, even if Congress does not come to agreement Monday on continuing to fund the government.
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) issued a memo in July to Senator Thomas Coburn, M.D., R-Oklahoma, at his request for information on "the potential effects of a funding lapse and related government shutdown on implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act."
The memo specifically addressed several questions he posed. The memo states that if government were shut down, funding for Obamacare would still continue. In other words, shutting down the federal government does not shut down Obamacare, according to CRS.
According to the Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP), the exchange is designed to help individuals without affordable employer coverage and small businesses compare options and purchase quality healthcare coverage.
The Health Insurance Marketplace website and toll-free number (800-318- 2596) are currently available to provide general information. Michigan specific information will be available starting Oct. 1, when open enrollment begins.
Here is a quick guide from the Kaiser Family Foundation to what you need to know about them:
1. The insurance marketplaces are open to nearly everyone, but If you have insurance through work, Medicare or Medicaid, it's likely you won't need to shop for coverage there. They are really for people who are uninsured or folks who buy individual policies now.
2. Many people will qualify for subsidies to make coverage more affordable there. These subsidies -- tax credits to help pay your premiums - will be available to people with incomes up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level. That's about $46,000 for one person or $94,000 for a family of four. And there are cost-sharing subsidies to reduce deductibles and co-payments, depending on your income.
3. Immigrants who are in this country illegally are barred from buying on the exchanges.
4. You can enroll until March 31, 2014, though you'll generally need to sign up by Dec. 15 of this year, to be covered as of Jan. 1. You can find your state's marketplace at healthcare.gov.
5. Through the marketplace, you can compare health plans in your area. The prices are based on where you live, your family size, the type of plan you select, your age and whether you smoke. All the plans have to comply with the Affordable Care Act's requirement to have a basic benefits package, but the amount you have to pay in premiums, co-pays and deductibles will vary among plans.
More information available at: http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/
Healthcare coverage options available through the Marketplace together with the expansion of Medicaid eligibility will greatly reduce the number of uninsured in Michigan.
Unprecedented healthcare coverage opportunities as well as economic and health security may, depending on Congress, become available to Michigan's uninsured residents.
The Affordable Care Act requires every state to have an operational health insurance exchange by Jan. 1, 2014, with open enrollment beginning in October. States have the option of designing and operating their own exchanges (state-operated exchange), or deferring to the federal government to design and operate all (federally facilitated exchange), or most (partnership exchange) functions of the exchange.
According to MLPP< Gov. Rick Snyder strongly supported the creation of a state-operated marketplace and urged lawmakers to pass enabling legislation. State lawmakers, however, refused and turned down federal funds for research and planning ($9.8 million).
When the governor then proposed a federal-state partnership exchange, the Legislature refused to accept the federal dollars ($30.7 million) for implementation and consumer assistance.
In total, the state has declined to accept more than $40 million in federal funds.
Michigan has totally deferred to the federal government to develop and operate its Marketplace.
Because a state is not precluded from establishing a state-operated exchange after 2014, Michigan policymakers could develop a plan to transition to a state-operated marketplace in the future.
The Marketplace will provide a one-stop location for reviewing and shopping for health plans, and a level playing field where health plans will compete based on quality and price, according to MLPP.
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