Health Insurance Exchanges: An Overview for Consumers
Today millions of Americans do not have health insurance, and not necessarily by choice. Historically, many people simply haven’t been able to afford coverage or have been turned down because of preexisting conditions
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Health Insurance Exchanges: An Overview for Consumers
An October 2013 Gallup survey found that 71 percent of those polled are somewhat, very or totally unfamiliar with the health insurance exchan es launched to help Americans to purchase insurance as part of the healthcare mandate under the Affordable !are Act "A!A#$ %n order for the A!A to meet its oal of ettin seven million people insured by sprin 201&, consumer education will need to be ramped up$ 'ere we provide an overview of health insurance exchan es(how they wor) and the purported benefits of purchasin covera e throu h the exchan es$ What is the Health Insurance Marketplace? *oday millions of Americans do not have health insurance, and not necessarily by choice$ 'istorically, many people simply haven+t been able to afford covera e or have been turned down because of preexistin conditions$ *his reality has come at a considerable cost to taxpayers, who ultimately foot the bill in the form of hi her insurance rates and medical costs to compensate for those who can+t pay their medical expenses$ *he Affordable !are Act "A!A# aims to reduce the number of uninsured Americans by ma)in insurance more affordable and accessible$ ,nder the A!A a person cannot be denied covera e because of preexistin conditions or income level$ 'owever, the law also mandates that most Americans obtain health insurance by -anuary 1, 201& or pay a penalty$ *he A!A established an insurance mar)etplace with state and federal health insurance exchan es throu h which individuals can compare and purchase plans$ !alifornia is an example of one of 1. states that established a state/run exchan e$ %ndividuals in !alifornia who do not have affordable employer/sponsored health insurance or do not 0ualify for 1edicaid, 1edical, or 1edicare could potentially obtain affordable covera e throu h the state/run exchan e$
u!si"ies to Help #a$ for Coverage *he Obama administration "responsible for the development of the A!A, also )nown as 2Obamacare3# reco ni4ed that passin insurance would also re0uire providin a law re0uirin that most Americans have health individuals who need it with financial assistance to
obtain covera e$ *he law provides for such assistance in the form of subsidies$ %ndividuals earnin less 5&.,000 or a family of four earnin less than 56&,200 may 0ualify for subsidies under the new law$ %iere" #lan $stem *he health insurance plans available throu h the mar)etplace are standardi4ed in a tiered system that includes bron4e, silver, old and platinum/level plans$ *he hi her the value of the metal "e$ $ platinum# the reater the premium, but the more the plan covers$ !onversely, lower valued metal plans "e$ $ silver# cost less but also cover less$ Althou h the federal exchan e has otten off to a roc)y start, the oal is that in the comin months and years millions of adults and children in America who otherwise may not have been able to afford health insurance will be covered$ A!out Coverage California !overa e !alifornia is an exchan e certified a ency specially trained on the complexities of the Affordable !are Act$ ,nli)e state insurance navi ators employed to deal exclusively with !alifornia+s exchan e, our a ents provide unbiased information and advice on findin the most comprehensive and affordable plan, whether inside or outside the exchan e$ 7e wor) with some of the most reputable carriers in the state includin 8lue 9hield of !alifornia, Anthem 8lue !ross and *oni)$ !all us today for more information at 1/:00/3;./3.1; or visit our website$
An October 2013 Gallup survey found that 71 percent of those polled are somewhat, very or totally unfamiliar with the health insurance exchan es launched to help Americans to purchase insurance as part of the healthcare mandate under the Affordable !are Act "A!A#$ %n order for the A!A to meet its oal of ettin seven million people insured by sprin 201&, consumer education will need to be ramped up$ 'ere we provide an overview of health insurance exchan es(how they wor) and the purported benefits of purchasin covera e throu h the exchan es$ What is the Health Insurance Marketplace? *oday millions of Americans do not have health insurance, and not necessarily by choice$ 'istorically, many people simply haven+t been able to afford covera e or have been turned down because of preexistin conditions$ *his reality has come at a considerable cost to taxpayers, who ultimately foot the bill in the form of hi her insurance rates and medical costs to compensate for those who can+t pay their medical expenses$ *he Affordable !are Act "A!A# aims to reduce the number of uninsured Americans by ma)in insurance more affordable and accessible$ ,nder the A!A a person cannot be denied covera e because of preexistin conditions or income level$ 'owever, the law also mandates that most Americans obtain health insurance by -anuary 1, 201& or pay a penalty$ *he A!A established an insurance mar)etplace with state and federal health insurance exchan es throu h which individuals can compare and purchase plans$ !alifornia is an example of one of 1. states that established a state/run exchan e$ %ndividuals in !alifornia who do not have affordable employer/sponsored health insurance or do not 0ualify for 1edicaid, 1edical, or 1edicare could potentially obtain affordable covera e throu h the state/run exchan e$
u!si"ies to Help #a$ for Coverage *he Obama administration "responsible for the development of the A!A, also )nown as 2Obamacare3# reco ni4ed that passin insurance would also re0uire providin a law re0uirin that most Americans have health individuals who need it with financial assistance to
obtain covera e$ *he law provides for such assistance in the form of subsidies$ %ndividuals earnin less 5&.,000 or a family of four earnin less than 56&,200 may 0ualify for subsidies under the new law$ %iere" #lan $stem *he health insurance plans available throu h the mar)etplace are standardi4ed in a tiered system that includes bron4e, silver, old and platinum/level plans$ *he hi her the value of the metal "e$ $ platinum# the reater the premium, but the more the plan covers$ !onversely, lower valued metal plans "e$ $ silver# cost less but also cover less$ Althou h the federal exchan e has otten off to a roc)y start, the oal is that in the comin months and years millions of adults and children in America who otherwise may not have been able to afford health insurance will be covered$ A!out Coverage California !overa e !alifornia is an exchan e certified a ency specially trained on the complexities of the Affordable !are Act$ ,nli)e state insurance navi ators employed to deal exclusively with !alifornia+s exchan e, our a ents provide unbiased information and advice on findin the most comprehensive and affordable plan, whether inside or outside the exchan e$ 7e wor) with some of the most reputable carriers in the state includin 8lue 9hield of !alifornia, Anthem 8lue !ross and *oni)$ !all us today for more information at 1/:00/3;./3.1; or visit our website$
