NEWS | HEALTH CARE
2013 LINCOLN MKX $ 37,947
• FRONT DRIVE TRACTION CONTROL • LEATHER HEATED SEATS • SYNC
1000
$
After Conquest Factory Rebate
VIN# 2LMDJ6JKIDBL28081
STK# 83036
202 E North Foothills Dr. Spokane, WA 99207 www.foothillslincoln.net (509) 324-8200 • 1-800-669-8801 Hours: Monday-Saturday: 8am-8pm Sunday: 11am - 5pm *Must own 95 or newer non FMC vehicle. All offers on approved credit plus tax, title, license & negotiable $150 doc. fee. Subject to prior sale. EPA estimated MPG, actual mileage will vary. Expires 8/31/13
BEST-SELLING AUTHOR
ObamaCare: It’s Almost Here
THURSDAY
Open enrollment begins on October 1. Here’s what you need to know
Two Free presentations by
-MARIA SEMPLE-
OCT 10 1pm | Convention Center Conference Theater Downtown Spokane
7pm | CenterPlace 2426 N. Discovery Place Spokane Valley Doors open 45 minutes prior to each event start time. An ASL interpreter will be present at the 7pm event.
18 INLANDER AUGUST 29, 2013
President Barack Obama signing an executive order reaffirming the Affordable Care Act. pete souza photo
BY DEANNA PAN
O
pen enrollment in Washington and Idaho’s health insurance exchange is a mere month away, and yet widespread public ignorance about President Obama’s Affordable Care Act persists. A Kaiser Family Foundation study found in June that a full 45 percent of people knew “nothing at all” about the online marketplaces where consumers can compare and shop for insurance plans starting on Oct. 1. To clear up any lingering confusion, here’s brief a primer on what you need to know. Got more questions? Send them to editor@inlander.com, and we’ll answer them on Inlander.com. Who has to purchase health insurance from the exchange? Uninsured and non-Medicaid-eligible U.S. citizens and legal residents under the age of 65 must buy health insurance to comply with ACA’s “individual mandate” or otherwise face a tax penalty. In 2014, the penalty is a flat fee of
$95 or 1 percent of taxable income. The penalty increases substantially thereafter: $325 in 2015 or 2 percent of taxable income, $695 in 2016 or 2.5 percent of taxable income. In 2017, penalties will rise by the cost-of-living adjustment. Who doesn’t have to? Indian tribal members, undocumented immigrants, incarcerated individuals and religious objectors are exempt from this rule, as are people who don’t make enough income to file taxes (about $9,500 for individuals and $19,000 for married couples) and those who would have to spend more than 8 percent of their monthly income to afford the cheapest policy. And if you’re one of 250 million Americans who is already insured — through your or your family’s employer or a government program, like Medicare or Medicaid — you’ve satisfied the individual requirement.