y continued from page 8 would be affected by the health law.” Not everyone who wants Obamacare can get it, the Post’s first example revealed. That’s because the Supreme Court ruled states do not have to enroll people earning wages under the federal poverty level in state-run Medicaid programs. Republican-run Nebraska is one of the states deciding not to help its poor people get health plans. Republican majorities in red states will prevent 8 million poor from getting help, the Post said, citing an Urban Institute study. But other individuals profiled by the Post show how the subsidies work. A single musician making $25,000 a year looking at the cheapest plan, costing $136 a month, will get a $54 federal subsidy. That brings its cost to $82 a month. The man profiled has Crohns disease, a serious intestinal disability, and told the Post he would welcome coverage. A middle-aged single mother of three, who has a heart condition, could get a $350 monthly subsidy for a family plan based on a $30,000 income, the Post said. Obamacare offers four levels of coverage. The most barebones and cheapest plan would cost her nothing. A slightly better plan, lowering her deductible, would cost her $104 a month. The Post reported that people like these are taking a hard look at Obamacare. Some are worried they won’t be able to keep current doctors, which always is an issue when one changes health plans. But real-life stories like theirs are more compelling than partisan fights, and they are about to become a much bigger part of the media wars. That doesn’t mean anti-Obamcare propaganda is going away. Bloomberg.com reports that groups funded by the Koch brothers will launch several ad barrages. In politics, the side that punches first usually can create first impressions and frame the debate. But they don’t always win, especially if the voices and emotions from real people and their reallife needs are heard. That shift is already starting. You see signs of it in the GOP’s resignation that they can’t stop or defund Obamacare amid Congress’ current budget gyrations. Bloomberg’s latest poll found that half of Americans want the GOP to stop trying to kill the law and fix what’s broken. Even the Wall Street Journal’s editorial page is retreating to old bromides, saying the U.S. doesn’t need safety nets now and didn’t need them in the 1960s when Medicare and Medicaid were created. It may be late in coming, but pro-Obamacare advertising and organizing is getting started. The creeepy Koch-funded Uncle Sam gynecologist ad already has been spoofed online. The Post’s coverage of Obamacare’s subsidies makes Forbes’ article—with a quarter-million page views as of Thursday—look pretty bad. And the Democratic Party is sending out e-mails touting Obamacare’s virtues, starting with getting self-employed people with policies to switch over. “Nearly half of Americans who have individual insurance plans will receive assistance averaging $2,672 to purchase plans on the Obamacare marketplace,” an e-mail from Democrats.org read. Of course, it added, “And Republicans voted more than 40 times to take it away.” — AlterNet by Steven Rosenfeld
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OCT. 10 - 16, 2013
This is about America. And Americans deserve to be informed. So let’s take our opinions off the record. And let’s put the actual ACA bill on the record. A downloadable version of the document can be found online.
l You can sign up through March 2014. l Coverage starts as soon as January 1. Unfortunately, the Federal Trade Commission is closed due to the government shutdown. As such, complaints and reports of scammers and con artists cannot be reported.
For the insured:
Here are a few tips to get you through:
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If you already have health insurance, Obamacare extends the following: l Free preventative care (check-ups and vaccinations) l Money back if your insurance company doesn’t spend at least 80 percent of your premium on care l No more lifetime limits on how much your insurance company will pay for your medical care l Children and young adults can stay on their family plans until they turn 26 years old
For the uninsured:
| THE READER |
l Enrollment launched on Oct. 1. l You cannot be denied coverage for any reason.
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l Be very careful searching the Web. Stay away from sites like healthplans.com and other lead aggregators. They’re charging insurance companies for your information and are nothing but a middle-man. Though the site has had its glitches, apply for health insurance at the government approved website (www.healthcare. gov) or if you know the health insurance carrier you want, you can apply directly to them. l If someone offers to help you sign up for a fee, run! It is free to sign up. l Do not give your personal information to anyone who calls you about health insurance. The government will not be making any Obamacarerelated calls.
l Do not pay a fee for a new or special insurance card. l When in doubt, go to healthcare.gov. The site offers online questions and answers and an online chat. You can also call the toll-free number (800) 318-2596. October 1 should have marked a milestone for the millions of uninsured Americans who are now able to afford health care. However, that day was overshadowed by a government shutdown and a host of con artists and scammers looking to prey on the uninsured. The government must do its part to get those more than 800,000 furloughed federal workers back to work. But for 15 percent of the country – a percent of people who include small businessmen and women, single mothers and recent college graduates – do not let the disasters of the government hold you back from life, liberty and the pursuit of the happiness. If you want health coverage, visit healthcare.gov or call the tollfree number (800) 318-2596 for more information. Applicants who sign up before Dec. 15 will receive coverage on Jan. 1, 2014. ,