Medicare Blog

how does obamacare work for medicare recipients in states that accepted expansion

by Prof. Hunter Lemke Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago

What is the difference between Obamacare and the Medicaid and Medicare expansion?

Medicaid expansion extends Medicaid to all adults in State's that embraced ObamaCare. CHIP is also expanded. It doesn't affect Medicare. Obamacare Facts Toggle navigation

How does Obamacare affect Medicare recipients?

When news of passage of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, hit, many older Americans wondered about their benefits. How does Obamacare affect Medicare recipients? The new law requires that Americans maintain health insurance, whether through private plans, networked plans, or employer-sponsored plans.

What is Obamacare and how does it work?

What is Obamacare? The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – commonly referred to as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and also known as Obamacare – is a sweeping piece of legislation passed by the 111th Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010.

What does Obamacare mean for Medicare enrollment?

The law includes numerous provisions designed to reduce Medicare spending, drive down costs and improve coverage for Medicare beneficiaries. Enrollment in Obamacare’s ACA-compliant plans is limited to an annual open enrollment period and special enrollment periods. Republicans have opposed – and attempted to repeal – the law’s provisions.

What is the effect of Medicaid expansion under the ACA?

As a whole, the large body of research on the effects of Medicaid expansion under the ACA suggests that expansion has had largely positive impacts on coverage; access to care, utilization, and affordability; and economic outcomes, including impacts on state budgets, uncompensated care costs for hospitals and clinics, ...

What states do not participate in the Affordable Care Act?

Nonexpansion states include 12 states that have not expanded Medicaid: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Data: Urban Institute's Health Insurance Policy Simulation Model (HIPSM), 2021.

What happens to the ACA subsidy when one person goes on Medicare?

Individual market plans no longer terminate automatically when you turn 65. You can keep your individual market plan, but premium subsidies will terminate when you become eligible for premium-free Medicare Part A (there is some flexibility here, and the date the subsidy terminates will depend on when you enroll).

Did Obamacare expand Medicare?

Obamacare's expanded Medicare preventive coverage applies to all Medicare beneficiaries, whether they have Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan.

Why did states sue over the Affordable Care Act?

California v. Eighteen states—along with two individuals—filed a lawsuit in February 2018 arguing that, because federal lawmakers reduced the mandate's “shared responsibility payment” to $0 through the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the individual mandate is unconstitutional.

Why is Medicaid expansion unconstitutional?

2 The most complex part of the Court's decision concerned the ACA's Medicaid expansion: a majority of the Court found the ACA's Medicaid expansion unconstitutionally coercive of states because states did not have adequate notice to voluntarily consent to this change in the Medicaid program, and all of a state's ...

Can a person have Medicare and Obamacare at the same time?

No. The Marketplace doesn't affect your Medicare choices or benefits, so if you have Medicare coverage, you don't need to do anything. This means no matter how you get Medicare, whether through Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage Plan (like an HMO or PPO), you don't have to make any changes.

What is the lowest income to qualify for Obamacare?

Generally, if your household income is 100% to 400% of the federal poverty level, you will qualify for a premium subsidy. This means an eligible single person can earn from $12,880 to $51,520 and qualify for the tax credit. A family of three would qualify with income from $21,960 to $87,840.

Can you stay on the ACA after age 65?

If you have an individual health plan through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace, you'll want to cancel that plan when you are eligible for Medicare at age 65. That's because ACA plans are no longer terminated automatically when a person turns 65.

What impact does the Affordable Care Act have on the elderly?

"The ACA expanded access to affordable coverage for adults under 65, increasing coverage for all age groups, races and ethnicities, education levels, and incomes."Under the ACA, older adults' uninsured rate has dropped by a third, indicators of their health and wellness have improved, and they're now protected from ...

Why did Florida not expand Medicaid?

Florida has set below-average limits for the mandatory coverage groups, and since the state has not accepted federal funding to expand Medicaid, the eligibility rules have not changed with the implementation of the ACA.

What is the difference between Obamacare and Medicare?

What Is the Difference Between Medicare and Obamacare? Medicare is insurance provided by the federal government for people over the age of 65 and the disabled, and Obamacare is a set of laws governing people's access to health insurance.

Do all states have the Affordable Care Act?

Is the ACA available in all states? Prior to the ACA being enacted, the CDC estimated that 48 million Americans were without health insurance. But now the ACA guarantees basic health coverage, making quality health coverage available no matter what state you reside in.

Is the Affordable Care Act nationwide?

The Affordable Care Act created the Multi-State Plan program to increase choice and competition in insurance markets nationwide. The plans are sold through the Marketplace under a contract between the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and insurance companies.

How many states have ACA?

As of January 2020, 37 states (AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, UT, VA, VT, WA, WV; not yet implemented in NE) and DC have expanded Medicaid.

Can states opt out of Obamacare?

The Supreme Court's 2012 ruling on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) allowed states to opt out of the law's Medicaid expansion, leaving each state's decision to participate in the hands of the nation's governors and state leaders.

What is Obamacare?

Obamacare is another name for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama. Obamacare mandated that everyone maintain health insurance coverage, or else they would face a tax penalty. Many people associate Obamacare with the health insurance plans that are sold on the ACA exchange, ...

When is open enrollment for Obamacare?

The Open Enrollment Period lasts from November 1 to December 15. If you don’t enroll in a plan before December 15, you can’t get coverage for the next year unless you qualify special enrollment period.

What is the ACA?

The ACA is a sweeping series of laws that regulate the US health insurance industry. Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people 65 and older, as well as certain younger people with disabilities or medical conditions. There are several different types of Medicare coverage.

How much is Medicare Part A 2021?

Medicare#N#Most people receive premium-free Medicare Part A. The standard premium for Part B is $148.50 per month in 2021.#N#There are other 2021 costs you may face with Medicare Part A and Part B, such as deductibles, coinsurance and copayments.

How many people will be covered by Medicare in 2021?

Medicare provides health insurance to nearly 63 million Americans in 2021. 1. Medicare is available to people who are at least 65 years old or younger Americans who have a qualifying disability, such as ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) or End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).

What is the difference between Medicare and Medicaid?

Medicare, which is a federally-funded health insurance program for adults over age 65 and some younger people with certain disabilities and medical conditions. Medicaid, which is a government health insurance program for people who have limited financial resources.

When did the ACA open?

The ACA health insurance exchange opened for business in January of 2014. This marketplace sold plans that qualified as satisfactory coverage according to the new law. While the ACA remains in place, the tax penalty for not having insurance (called the individual mandate) was repealed in 2019.

What are the benefits of Obamacare?

ACA-compliant plans come with a long list of benefits – embodied in Obamacare’s essential health benefits (EHB). Under the Affordable Care Act, all individual and small-group major medical plans must include coverage of the following EHBs: 1 hospitalization 2 ambulatory services 3 emergency services 4 maternity and newborn care 5 services for those suffering from mental health disorders and problems with substance abuse 6 prescription drugs (including brand-name drugs and specialty drugs) 7 lab tests 8 chronic disease management, “well” services and preventive services, including vaccinations ( certain preventive services are covered at no cost to the enrollee) 9 pediatric dental and vision care for children 10 rehabilitative and “habilitative” services which include helping a person keep, learn or improve functioning for daily living.

When was Obamacare signed into law?

Key takeaways. Obamacare – aka the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (or Affordable Care Act) – was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010. The law included major provisions intended to make health coverage on the individual market more affordable – including subsidies (which have been enhanced by the American Rescue Plan) ...

When did Medicare pay 10 percent bonuses?

The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 included a provision to pay 10 percent bonuses to Medicare physicians who work in health professional shortage areas (HPSAs). The ACA expanded this program to include general surgeons, from 2011 to the end of 2015.

What are the benefits of ACA compliant plans?

Improved plan benefits with ACA-compliant plans. ACA-compliant plans come with a long list of benefits – embodied in Obamacare’s essential health benefits (EHB). Under the Affordable Care Act, all individual and small-group major medical plans must include coverage of the following EHBs: hospitalization.

What was the purpose of the Affordable Care Act before it was implemented?

Before the Affordable Care Act was implemented, some states tried to ensure that premiums on state-regulated health plans were actuarially justified , but others did very little – and residents in some states were getting fleeced by some insurers.

How many pages are there in the Affordable Care Act?

The law included more than 1,000 pages of provisions intended to make coverage affordable for and accessible to millions of Americans who struggled to pay for individual coverage – many of whom could not buy individual coverage at any price due to pre-existing medical conditions.

What are the provisions of the Affordable Care Act?

The ACA’s affordability provisions. The Affordable Care Act included major provisions designed to make comprehensive health coverage affordable to Americans who struggled to pay for coverage prior to the ACA. Chief among those provisions:

When does Medicare coverage take effect?

If you complete the enrollment process during the three months prior to your 65th birthday, your Medicare coverage takes effect the first of the month you turn 65 ( unless your birthday is the first of the month ). Your premium subsidy eligibility continues through the last day of the month prior to the month you turn 65.

When will Medicare be sent to you?

Your Medicare card will be sent to you after you enroll. Your enrollment window starts three months before the month you turn 65, includes the month you turn 65, and then continues for another three months. (Note that you’ll need to enroll during the months prior to your birth month in order to have coverage that takes effect the month you turn 65.

What happens if you don't sign up for Medicare?

And if you keep your individual market exchange plan and don’t sign up for Medicare when you first become eligible, you’ll have to pay higher Medicare Part B premiums for the rest of your life, once you do enroll in Medicare, due to the late enrollment penalty.

How long does it take to get Medicare if you are not receiving Social Security?

If you’re not yet receiving Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits, you’ll have a seven-month window during which you can enroll in Medicare, which you’ll do through the Social Security Administration. Your Medicare card will be sent to you after you enroll. Your enrollment window starts three months before the month you turn 65, ...

When does Medicare subsidy end?

If you enroll in Medicare during the final three months of your initial enrollment period, your premium subsidy will likely end before your Part B coverage begins, although your Part A coverage should be backdated to the month you turned 65.

When will Medicare be enrolled in Social Security?

Here are the details: If you’re already receiving retirement benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board, you’ll automatically be enrolled in Medicare with an effective date of the first of the month that you turn 65. As is the case for people who enroll prior to the month they turn 65, premium subsidy eligibility ends on ...

When do individual market plans end?

Individual market plans no longer terminate automatically when you turn 65. You can keep your individual market plan, but premium subsidies will terminate when you become eligible for premium-free Medicare Part A (there is some flexibility here, and the date the subsidy terminates will depend on when you enroll).

When does Medicare end?

For example, if Medicare will begin May 1, you will want your Marketplace coverage to end April 30. To make this transition, it's important to cancel your Marketplace policy at least 15 days before you want the coverage to end and to specify that you want it terminated on the final day of the month. (Medicare coverage always begins on the first day ...

How long does it take to sign up for Medicare after it ends?

Throughout the time that you have this insurance, and for up to eight months after it ends, you'll be entitled to a special enrollment period (SEP) to sign up for Medicare without incurring any late penalties. This is also true if your health insurance comes from your spouse's employer through SHOP.

How to contact Medicare and Medicaid?

Or go online to ssa.gov. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services at 800-633-4227 (TYY: 877-486-2048) for issues on Medicare coverage, Medicare Advantage plans and Part D drug plans. Or go online to medicare.gov.

What is the Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification Act?

The Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification Act (BENES) would require official enrollment information to be sent to everyone on the verge of Medicare eligibility, so that fewer people would fall into the trap of missing their deadlines.

What is a small employer in Medicare?

But under Medicare rules, a small employer is one that has fewer than 20 employees. Larger employers are subject to laws that are designed to protect older workers — for example, by requiring these employers to offer to employees who are 65 and older exactly the same health benefits as they offer to younger workers.

Can you sell insurance before Medicare?

Insurance companies in the Marketplace are banned from knowingly selling new policies to people enrolled in any part of Medicare. However, if you're enrolled in a Marketplace plan before becoming eligible for Medicare, your plan cannot reduce or terminate your coverage unless you request it.

Is Medicare automatic?

You should know that this transition is not automatic. People approaching Medicare age will receive no official notification about how to make the change or when to do it. It's a new scenario ripe for mistakes, some of which can be costly for consumers. Medicare recently announced that it has begun sending notices to people who are both enrolled in ...

How many states are participating in Obamacare?

Every state does have an insurance exchange. Every state also has financial subsidies to help middle-income Americans to help buy private coverage. Only 28 states are participating in the Medicaid expansion — the part of the law ...

How many states are participating in Medicaid expansion?

Only 28 states are participating in the Medicaid expansion — the part of the law that was meant to cover 17 million people who earn less than 138 percent of the federal poverty line (about $15,000 for an individual or $31,000 for a family of four). Advisory Board.

How many states have expanded Medicaid?

Its June 2012 ruling found this requirement to be too onerous on states — which help pay for Medicaid — and that each state would get to decide whether to expand the program. Twenty-eight states and the District of Columbia have so-far opted into the Medicaid expansion.

Did Obamacare expand Medicaid?

When it was written, Obamacare initially required all states to expand their Medicaid programs. Before Obamacare, there was lots of variation in whom states did and didn’t cover; the idea was to create a more standard and much bigger Medicaid program. The Supreme Court changed that.

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