forgive me, all my news is auto-tuned

[pauraque_bk]

I have a question for those of you who follow politics (which I do not, anymore). I was reading the summary of what's in the health care bill on electoral-vote.com, and these are the first two points:

# Everyone will be required to have health insurance or pay a fine
# People who cannot afford insurance will get it for free (Medicaid) or get a subsidy

What's the threshold for "cannot afford insurance"? Because as we poor people know, often you can't realistically afford something, but the government programs for it require you to have a lower income to qualify. Too rich for food stamps, too poor for food, as it were. How is this plan going to guarantee that doesn't happen to people AND charge them a fine for not being poor enough?

(Should go without saying -- if anyone comments who disagrees with you about the bill, don't be mean to that person in my LJ.)

Comments

[bethbethbeth.livejournal.com]

According to the New York Times, the Reconciliation Bill:

Would revise the penalty for some years: In 2014, $95 a year or 1 percent household’s income; in 2015, $325 or 2 percent of income; in 2016, $695 or 2.5 percent of income (with a maximum of $2,085 for a family).

Instead of using the poverty threshold to exempt low-income people, the bill would exempt households with incomes below the tax-filing threshold — $9,350 for individuals and $18,700 for couples in 2009.

***

However!

There's also cost sharing assistance for purchasing health insurance, outlined here.

eta: people would be eligible for financial aid at up to $88,000 a year for a family of four

[pauraque]

Thanks for the info. When I lived in CA I couldn't afford insurance but was turned down for Medicaid because my income was too high, so obviously just a flat "you have to be on Medicaid or other insurance" wouldn't work unless the new financial aid programs are REALLY realistic and effective, taking into account the actual cost of living.

In VT I qualify for a state program that provides free health care for low income residents, but my income is effectively zero, so if I didn't qualify, no one would. :P

[bethbethbeth.livejournal.com]

Heh. Yes, you'd still be covered under the new plan. Ah, the benefits of having no money! *g*

[pauraque]

It's a bit of a ninja thing because I share resources with _hannelore but they don't count her income against my eligibility because we're not married. So I can eat AND go to the doctor. Woot! (Of course, if we were married I would be covered on her insurance, but then I would have to pay the co-pays and stuff they don't cover, yadda yadda.)

[cordelia_v]

According to the NYT summary of the bill (as it existed last night . . . it's been evolving all weekend), subsidies for insurance would be available to single people who have less than about 44K income, and families with less than 88K. As Beth said, you're sure to continue to be covered.

[pauraque]

It didn't actually occur to me to be worried, because I didn't think this federal bill would affect existing state programs. Does it?

[cordelia_v]

No, it doesn't affect them. The main impact will be on those who currently have no insurance, and also for those who have pre-existing conditions. It will help both groups, and won't really change much for those who currently have insurance.

[pauraque]

Cool. Thanks.

[ook.livejournal.com]

If you're interested, the live debate for the Health Care vote tday just began and CSPAN is carrying it online.

http://cspan.org/Watch/C-SPAN.aspx