Posted on 11/27/2017 10:27:57 AM PST by RoosterRedux
President Trump's decision to cut off Obamacare payments to insurers has driven up the number of zero-cost plans being sold to customers for 2018.
The move to stop the cost-sharing reduction subsidies has led to higher tax credits for low-income customers, which in turn has led to an increase in the number of cheap Obamacare plans available for no premium but high deductibles.
The eligibility for a zero-cost plan varies depending on where an enrollee lives and how much he or she makes. For instance, 2,436 counties in the U.S. offer free bronze plans — the cheapest of Obamacare’s four metal tiers — to a 40-year-old making $20,000 a year, according to an analysis from the health research organization Kaiser Family Foundation.
A separate analysis from Kaiser found that 4.5 million uninsured people are eligible for plans with zero-dollar premiums.
“There were certainly cases previously where zero premium bronze plans were available to people receiving tax credits, but the availability has increased dramatically for 2018,” said Larry Levitt, senior vice president for Kaiser.
The website Health Sherpa, which helps people find Obamacare plans, found that in the first two weeks of open enrollment, 18 percent of all enrollees found a plan with no premiums and 51 percent found plans for $50 or less a month. Nearly 2.3 million people signed up for Obamacare in the first 18 days of open enrollment, the Trump administration said Wednesday.
Levitt attributed the boon of zero-cost plans to President Trump’s decision to halt cost-sharing reduction payments last month. The payments reimburse insurers for a requirement to lower co-pays and deductibles for low-income Obamacare customers.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...
If Congress would get with the program, we could have Obamacare replaced in mere weeks.
McConnell and Ryan should be hanging their heads in shame.
oops. guess that sort of backfired.
McConnell and Ryan should be hanging (full stop here)
See my tag line.
I don’t generally support that sort of thing, but it is a hoot as a quote.
Groups can get too wound up. We’d have a lot of good decent Conservatives hanging from trees if we were to go that route.
Well well well
People are starting to figure out the difference between health insurance and health care...
There is no consequence of repealing Obamacare that is worse than Obamacare itself
Well well well
People are starting to figure out the difference between health insurance and health care...
Congress doesn’t have to get with the program, all that needs to be done is put them on the program.
How ‘bout it - the theory works.....
Some of us pay for our own health insurance and always have. I “renewed” meaning went through the farce of gubment mandated application process. The “agent” for BCBS actually was required by law to “examine my needs to make sure I got the right policy”. I was patient with her and endured but said the choice is mine alone to make.
The bloody market place is nothing but a front to make fools think it is the gubment handing out the trinkets. It is a sham. A storefront.
Under the current terms THERE IS NO VALID REASON THAT I CAN SEE FOR ANYONE TO BUY (if they are using their own money) ANYTHING BUT THE LOWEST COST PLAN.
If there is any doubt this is a STUPID program created by educated fools who think everyone but them is an idiot. Condescending bastards is what thgey are.
The columns don’t line up but you can figure it out if you care to.
B PPO 202 B PPO 206 B PPO 203 S PPO 101 S PPO 204
Ind Ded 4,700.00 4,700.00 2,850.00 3,250.00 1,400.00
Ind OOP Max 7,350.00 7,350.00 6,550.00 7,350.00 7,350.00
My Share after Deductible up to Out of Pocket Max (Coinsurance) 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.5
Prem / mo 1,847.00 2,038.00 2,122.00 2,454.00 2,485.00
Prem / yr 22,164.00 24,456.00 25,464.00 29,448.00 29,820.00
Gross Exp. To Meet OOP Limit 10,000.00 10,000.00 12,100.00 16,916.67 13,300.00
My cost to meet OOP Limit (Check of Line 8) 7,350.00 7,350.00 6,550.00 7,350.00 7,350.00
Annual cost including Premium 29,514.00 31,806.00 32,014.00 36,798.00 37,170.00
Prem Delta to lowest cost 2,292.00 3,300.00 7,284.00 7,656.00
Total Delta to lowest cost 2,292.00 2,500.00 7,284.00 7,656.00
Annual cost for 10,000 Exp. 29,514.00 31,806.00 31,174.00 34,723.00 35,520.00
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