6 ms·

This is a bit off for most people that might actually be affected by the unemployment->insurance loss->need to get insurance asap problem. About 30-40% of non-

by lbhnact 10y ago

This is a bit off for most people that might actually be affected by the unemployment->insurance loss->need to get insurance asap problem. About 30-40% of non-medicare America lives in non-expansion states, more if you include long-term resident undocumented (not just seasonal workers). Medicaid is not available to 'unenemployed' people in most states in any sort of automatic way, so if you were employed in most middle class jobs, you won't qualify without serious tax shifting around the eligibility year enrollment cycle. If you make under 133% of the federal poverty level in non-expansion states, you don't qualify for the exchanges. Each non-expansion state's metrics for Medicaid qualification are slightly different. Unless you are under-18, a pregnant mother, or have ESRD, you probably don't qualify. Also, to a different point above, COBRA is not 'discounted'. It temporary, but generally just as expensive as private insurance. Kaiser Family Foundation is a great place for digestible data on US health care.

Amezarak 10y ago
> If you make under 133% of the federal poverty level in non-expansion states, you don't qualify for the exchanges. You can buy insurance on the exchanges, you just don't get subsidies. Which does make it a largely moot point, since the last time I checked premiums for the low-end plans ran around $600/month unsubsidized, obviously out of reach for anyone who would have otherwise qualified for Medicaid. > you won't qualify without serious tax shifting around the eligibility year enrollment cycle. I could be mistaken, but I've helped people with this process personally and we didn't run into any problems in that regard. Lose your job, you're making $0/month, you qualify and there's no tax things we had to deal with. (I can't say, of course, that we did it all correctly but nobody has come back and punished her for what we did.) > Also, to a different point above, COBRA is not 'discounted'. It temporary, but generally just as expensive as private insurance. I am fully aware, but a hypothetical middle to upper-middle class person who lost their job would have that option available to them unless they had no savings.

by lbhnact 10y ago

Amezarak 10y ago

> If you make under 133% of the federal poverty level in non-expansion states, you don't qualify for the exchanges. You can buy insurance on the exchanges, you just don't get subsidies. Which does make it a largely moot point, since the last time I checked premiums for the low-end plans ran around $600/month unsubsidized, obviously out of reach for anyone who would have otherwise qualified for Medicaid. > you won't qualify without serious tax shifting around the eligibility year enrollment cycle. I could be mistaken, but I've helped people with this process personally and we didn't run into any problems in that regard. Lose your job, you're making $0/month, you qualify and there's no tax things we had to deal with. (I can't say, of course, that we did it all correctly but nobody has come back and punished her for what we did.) > Also, to a different point above, COBRA is not 'discounted'. It temporary, but generally just as expensive as private insurance. I am fully aware, but a hypothetical middle to upper-middle class person who lost their job would have that option available to them unless they had no savings.