The debt ceiling impasse has had a significant impact on my life.
How so? I work mostly outside, so it is important to know the weather
conditions before I start out. It seems, however, that National Weather Service
and NOAA personnel seem to be making the most of their current unemployment. Yesterday,
it was said that there would be a 40 percent chance of showers until 11 PM,
then partly clearing on Friday; even the local news reported this. So I prepared
myself for a rain-free work day; unfortunately, it began raining in earnest after
midnight, and was still raining at 4 AM when I started laboring. I checked the
weather forecast again; this time it claimed that there was only a 30 percent
chance of showers, ending before 8 AM. Well, it was still pouring rain after 8
AM and there was no appearance that it was going to stop anytime soon.
It isn’t just fixing faulty weather reports that should get
those morons in Congress (and I’m referring mainly to the Tea Party and the
politicians who slovenly genuflect before them) to see sense and stop
shadow-punching to no purpose. That includes the foolish opposition to the
Affordable Care Act’s insurance exchange program, which if nothing else constitutes
a small step toward universal health care, in line with other civilized
countries. The company I work for has
permitted us to explore the brave new world of “Obamacare,” although my reading
of the law indicates that we would have been eligible for the exchange anyway,
since the “insurance” we have had till now does not provide “minimum value” as
defined by the ACA, which is coverage of at least 60 percent of medical costs.
When I was informed of the reality of my eligibility status,
I didn’t waste any time; it took less than a lunch break to navigate the state
of Washington’s enrollment procedure, and at the end of it I am pleased to say
that for the cost what I was paying for substandard insurance, come January I
will be covered by very satisfactory insurance from a reputable insurer. I
could have chosen a cheaper alternative with a lower deductible, but the
out-of-pocket maximum was half that of other similarly-priced plans, and which
at my age is the best possible outcome. Now I don’t have to worry about being
laughed at and told lies like “We aren’t taking any new patients this year.” For
just a little more than what I was paying before, I will be getting much more
as a return. This is what you can expect living in a “blue” state that is “all
in.”
I did have some concerns, however. The tax credit I was
eligible for significantly reduced my premiums; if I chose to use the entire
amount, I would be paying only a handful of small change a day. But I didn’t
think it was safe to use all of it, considering how it might affect my end of
the year tax return. My reading of the ACA provision in regard to the tax
credit is that since most people who qualify for the credit can’t afford to
wait to claim the tax credit at the end of the year as a “refund” of some of the
premiums they will pay under the exchange program, the credit is being
“fronted” from the beginning and paid to insurers to reduce the premiums paid
per month. Now, most people are familiar with their personal tax deduction,
which lowers taxable income. A tax credit lowers the tax directly, meaning if you
owe $5,000 in taxes, a tax credit worth $500 will lower it to $4,500. How this
will work in practice in regard to the ACA was not entirely clear in my mind. If
the tax credit exceeded my taxes paid, would I have to pay back the excess
credit?
Since there is a mention that individuals may have to pay
back a maximum $750, I contacted the Washington state exchange’s customer
service, and was told that “you won't have to pay back any difference between
the credit you receive and the tax liability.” Well, I’ll have to take that at
face value for now, but it does alleviate some concerns that people may have before
jumping in. Still, it might also mean a considerably reduced or no tax refund;
for the moment, that is a problem I can live with.
All things considered, this is the first time in years that
I can breathe a little easier in regard to previously unaffordable and
uncertain health coverage. For those who have been shoved to the side by the current
health care system, the ACA is their best possible alternative—since the only “alternative”
is, well, getting so sick you die, which seems just fine to most right-wingers
who are “advising” us that we should hold off our health for another year so
that they can follow through on their threat to kill “Obamacare.” Yeah, they “care.”
To them, I say that despite their “best” efforts, I finally have access to the
health care that my labors have earned, without leave of the basest of ignorance,
obstruction and insensitivity that Republicans and their Tea Party thugs are
well known for. Back, you dirty devils! Hands off my health insurance!
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