Answers about healthcare coverage
It's a good idea to know the basics of the Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. “Obamacare.” No matter what your political belief, it will inevitably affect you, your family, or your community in some way since 195,000 Montana residents who had no health insurance can now apply.
It's been three years since President Obama proposed health care reform and since then it's been highly publically debated, conversation for citizens around the country, and most recently in the news because of serious technical difficulties with the Oct. 1 launch.
The goal of ACA is to provide affordable insurance coverage. Anyone who doesn't have access to affordable health insurance through their job, or through a government program like Medicare or Medicaid, can apply to buy insurance in the new health insurance marketplace with coverage beginning in January. The law also requires health insurers to justify premium increases, to spend at least 80 percent of premium dollars on medical care and efforts to improve the quality of care for their insured.
“We are convinced that Montanans can make the Affordable Care Act work to their advantage, and to the advantage of small employers who struggle with the cost of healthcare,” said Richard Miltenberger, insurance expert and partner with Mountain West Benefits. “Despite all the negative publicity, I am confident that the Affordable Care Act-Obamacare-is something most Montanans can benefit from.”
Miltenberger points out that the leading cause of bad debt in Montana is medical bills.
“If a person has health insurance that is going to bring peace of mind,” he said.
He said secondly that many Montanans get covered at work but still cannot afford to cover their dependents. And lastly he said that many folks who have coverage today will finally get help paying for it.
“That will make life on a budget a little easier,” he said.
This fall, State Auditor Monica Lindeen visited Montana's major cities in an attempt to educate the public. She noted how the ACA will prevent companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions or raise prices because of past sickness or injury.
Her presentation also explained the tax penalty for those who do not acquire insurance. It is up to $2,085 per family (or 2.5 percent of family income, whichever is greater) by 2016. Penalties begin in 2014, but the cost is phased in over three years and there are some exceptions.
Lindeen also explained that Montana's new online health insurance marketplace (www.healthcare.gov) provides one stop for residents to compare prices of their three options: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana, PacificSource, and The Montana Health Cooperative.
The Montana Health CO-OP (MHC) was funded in 2012 as a result of the Affordable Care Act and a loan through the Department of Human Health and Human Services and is the newest in the insurance playing field.
Chuck Butler serves on the Board of Directors for the MHC and has an extensive career in health insurance holding executive positions with Blue Cross Blue Shield for 25 years in Montana and Vermont and. He said MHC is particularly important for America's rural states like Montana to create competition in the insurance marketplace for consumers.
“MHC adds a new competitor and now we have a third option for people, which they wouldn't have otherwise,” he said. “I believe the American people need an option because more competition lowers the cost of services which will help the ever-increasing cost of health care and insurance.”
Miltenberger urged people to make a move no matter what the final decision is for coverage for you and your family.
“We are telling people: get the word out---be proactive---tell your family and friends that now is the time to get insured-don't delay, act,” Miltenberger said.
More information can be found in Consumer Resource Centers at credit unions around the state and also online at http://www.montanacreditunions.coop/.
Each month there is a new topic at these Consumer Resource Centers, where people can find timely, relevant and Montana-specific information, said Karen Smith with Montana's Credit Unions for Community Development,
“We've tried to narrow down some tips for the benefit of consumers,” she said.
It's an uncertain time in the insurance world, whether you are a provider, an employer, or an individual. It's your job to be proactive and get the information. And, when the information is confusing (because it probably will be), ask. There certainly seems to be a laundry list of resources touting they have the answers.
— Alana Listoe works with the Montana Credit Union Network