Fall 2013 Guide to Affordable Health Care Act for Caregivers and Other Busy People
Separating the facts from the rhetoric about the Affordable Health Care Act is both challenging and time-consuming. Even the nickname “Obamacare” is controversial.
And most caregivers like Lisa just don’t have the time to wade through it all.
Lisa cares for her elderly mother who is on Medicare. Lisa needs to find out more about the Affordable Health Care Act and how it impacts her family, especially her young adult children. Decisions need to be made soon about her family’s health insurance, and she feels frustrated because the facts are hard to find.
Here are some articles answering questions Lisa and other caregivers have to make informed decisions. This list is not comprehensive and is intended to grow with updates. You are encouraged to do additional research to make your own decisions. Because options are regional and your situation may be unique, you may need to consider getting help from your own local experts.
What Is Obamacare?
By Kimberly Amadeo, About.com Guide
Summary article starting with definition of Obamacare. Explains what it means to you when…
- You have insurance…
- You can’t afford insurance…
- You don’t get insurance under the law…
- You make over $200,000 a year…
- You’re a business owner…
- Includes Little Known Facts, Pros and Cons of Obamacare and links to other articles.
Read the article at its original source:
Affordable Care Act: Your Top 8 Questions Answered
Reviewed by Lisa Zamosky
WebMD Health NewsOct. 2, 2013 — To help readers on Day 1 of open enrollment for the health insurance Marketplaces, WebMD hosted a live chat to answer their questions about the Affordable Care Act. While our expert panel fielded a range of subjects, the eight topics below came up most often…
- Who can sign up for insurance in the new Marketplaces?
- How do tax credits work?
- How is income calculated when you apply for insurance?
- What’s the penalty if I don’t get insurance?
- Where do I sign up?
- How do I compare plans?
- What’s the deadline for getting insurance?
- Can family members have separate policies?
Read the rest of the article including the answers to the questions at its original source:
The Affordable Care Act – Your Questions Answered
NOTE: Based on recent decisions regarding the timing and implementation of certain provisions of the Affordable Care Act, some information on this page may be changing. We will continue to monitor the roll-out of the program in order to provide updates to our content. In the meantime, please visit www.healthcare.gov for the current status of the Affordable Care Act’s components.
The Affordable Care Act (officially called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) is the law that mandates that everyone in the United States maintain health insurance coverage. To achieve this, the law establishes “exchanges” for people who cannot access health insurance through their employer; establishes new rules for what insurance plans have to cover and how much they can charge for certain services; and establishes supports for people who cannot afford health insurance coverage.
The following list of questions and answers should help you better understand the Affordable Care Act and its impact on the brain tumor community. This information is also available for download here. Additionally, information about Medicaid expansion can be downloaded here.
If you have additional questions not addressed here, please call our CareLine at 800-886-ABTA (2282) or email aca@abta.org.
ABOUT THE ACA
1. When does the Affordable Care Act take effect?
2. What are some of the things that have happened already?
3. How do key provisions of the ACA which are already in effect impact brain tumor patients?
4. What are the key provisions of the ACA that will be implemented in the future that will impact brain tumor patients?EXCHANGES
5. What is an “exchange”?
6. How will the exchanges work?
7. Are the exchanges only for individuals?
8. If the exchanges don’t begin until 2014, how can I get insurance now?
9. My state has said it won’t establish an exchange. What happens to me?
10. Will my state be offered its own exchange? Or will it be part of the federal government exchange?
11. I live in Florida, Michigan or North Dakota. What happens to me if I need to purchase insurance through an exchange?
12. My state is not establishing its own exchange. Can I still enroll in the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance plan?
13. What plans will be offered through the exchanges?
14. Will I only be able to enroll in an exchange plan once or at one time?
15. Will long-term care be part of the exchanges?
16. If I cannot afford even the most basic coverage, what can I do?
17. Will there be someone to help me choose a plan? Will this process be difficult and confusing?
18. Can I change my plan midyear?
19. Will hospice be offered through plans offered in the exchange?
20. How do I find out more information about the exchange offered in my state?ESSENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS
21. What are “essential health benefits”?
22. What are the services in the essential health benefits that will impact brain tumor patients?
23. Will the services within the essential health benefits be the same for all plans?OTHER QUESTIONS
24. I have insurance through my job. How does the Affordable Care Act impact me?
25. I lost my coverage at work and the ban on denying coverage for a pre-existing condition doesn’t begin until 2014. What do I do now?
26. I cannot afford the COBRA coverage offered by my employer and I do not qualify for Medicaid. What can I do for coverage before I am eligible for Medicare?
27. My child has a brain tumor which is a pre-existing condition. What can I do about coverage for my child?
28. Aren’t there a number of tax and payment components of the Affordable Care Act?
29. Where can I access more information about the Affordable Care Act?Read the rest of the article including the answers to the questions at its original source:
What Is the US Government Official AHCA Website?
The official U.S. government site for AHCA is www.Healthcare.gov.
From October 1 – October 4, 2013 estimated are the site www.Healthacre.gov had 5 times as much traffic as it was designed for, with long waits and error messages. The federal government is reportedly working on the problem.
Whose stuff about the AHCA do you like?
The best sources of information are often from people who have used them and recommend them. Help other caregivers by sharing your favorite sources for the AHCA.
Whose stuff about the AHCA do you like?
Leave your answer in a comment below to be included in the next update to this article.
From my heart to yours… Laugh Well, Love Well and Live Well!
Ina Gilmore, M.D. (Retired)
“The Knitting Dr.”
Founder, www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com and www.TheKnittingYarn.com
Ambassador of Caregiving at www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com
Original Source:
Fall 2013 Guide to Affordable Health Care Act for Caregivers and Other Busy People
Read the original here:
Fall 2013 Guide to Affordable Health Care Act for Caregivers and Other Busy People