<p>@teriwitt: your daughter does not need tax returns. Tax records are used to verify the information provided by the applicant, but that’s only a screening tool – she might simply be asked to document her income with other evidence (such as pay stubs). </p>
<p>@musicmom1215 - you are indeed very lucky but **** happens. Except for a few times over the years my doctor’s appointments consisted of going for annual check-ups and tests like mammograms. Then a year ago I got what I thought was a UTI. Too make a very long story short - after bouncing around from doctor to doctor (4 in total) I finally ended up at a specialist who was able to diagnosed.my condition. </p>
<p>I was in horrible pain for the two months prior to diagnosis. It’s a chronic condition, but I’m able to be treated with a drug which costs a total of $10 for 90 day supply, modification of my diet, plus 6 weeks of specialized PT. I never had surgery or required hospitalization - just a bunch of tests, one emergency room visit when I was in horrid pain, a bunch of doctor’s appts and the PT. Total cost was approx $15,000 of which I paid $300 because I have insurance. </p>
<p>You really don’t want to be uninsured. </p>
<p>@calmom - no pay stubs… she’s paid in cash every week.</p>
<p>But the point is, your d. doesn’t have to prove her income (or lack of income) at the outset – she just submits the numbers and will be referred to MediCal, if appropriate. Her application may or may not be tagged for verification – if it is tagged, and your daughter has no documentable income, then she will still be on MediCal. The verification process is designed to catch the other end of the scale – people whose income is too high to qualify for MediCal or subsidies. It’s understood that poor people who have little or no earnings don’t have documentation … but they belong on MediCal in any case. </p>
<p>How blessed you are @musicmom1215 !!!
Hopefully you will never be in an accident. My DH was in a freak accident moving a generator to help out someone after a hurricane. He lost a finger. Thank God we had insurance. </p>
<p>Am going to copy and paste post #23 to send to D2! I know she has been concerned about it. Thanks!</p>
<p>I know I am very lucky to be in good health. I also know that being insured is important as I have worked in the insurance business for 35 years. I also am single and on a tight budget. A 28.34% increase is a whole lot for me to try to absorb. I will shop the marketplace when the enrollment period starts.</p>
<p>On a happy note, I had to call the heathcare.gov hotline today to get my password reset (I forgot the answers to my security questions), and the young man I talked to was both pleasant and helpful.</p>
<p>Musicmom, you can shop the marketplace right now. You can’t buy until Saturday, but you can shop right now.</p>
<p>I have shopped already, but there are only two companies offered in my zip code. One is the company I already have and one does not have any doctors or hospitals in my immediate area. I don’t know why it even shows up in my zip code area. I am hoping there are more choices when it becomes official. </p>
<p>I hope that there are more choices for you on Saturday, but from what I’ve heard, everything is up on the sites already. I hope I’m wrong.</p>
<p>I understand your frustration Musicmom. I had to recently purchase medical insurance via the Marketplace and I only had 3 companies to choose from. There are currently only 3 companies in my state but I have read (thanks to another poster who posted the article) that 2 more companies will join our state insurnace pool next year. For now, the lack of options is galling. </p>
<p>Article on New Jersey’s marketplace for 2015</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/homepage-feature/item/75124-it-may-pay-to-shop-again-for-health-coverage-through-insurance-marketplace?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Newsworks+(NewsWorks)”>http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/homepage-feature/item/75124-it-may-pay-to-shop-again-for-health-coverage-through-insurance-marketplace?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Newsworks+(NewsWorks)</a></p>
<p>I wonder why so many states have so few insurance companies selling on their marketplace - while other states have many (NY for example.) I googled but nothing came up. </p>
<p>CareFirst BNC/BS went up to $2872 per month. $2000 per person deductible and $500 cap on drugs. Out of pocket costs $45,000.00.</p>
<p>@reddoor - now THAT’s the definition of affordable ;).</p>
<p>Reddoor, are there health issues in your family?</p>
<p>“CareFirst BNC/BS went up to $2872 per month. $2000 per person deductible and $500 cap on drugs. Out of pocket costs $45,000.00.”</p>
<p>How it that possible when the total maximum OOP costs under ACA is $13,200 for a family plan ($6600 for an individual.)</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/out-of-pocket-maximum-limit/”>https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/out-of-pocket-maximum-limit/</a> </p>
<p>Presumably, the $45K out of pocket was out of network costs. More details would be interesting.</p>
<p>Assuming the networks are the same…</p>
<p>Family of four where one person is a big user of health care services…maybe uses prescription drugs…
The other 3 people barely use any services…</p>
<p>Why not get different plans? The barely users sign up for bronze plans…the one big user signs up for another plan. True the oop max may be more for this family, but they save so much in premiums…after a year or two of little usage, the split plans save money.</p>
<p>^ ahh. OK. </p>
<p>Article from NYT of marketplace rates for this year:</p>
<p><a href=“First Look at Health Insurance Rates for Next Year Is Encouraging - The New York Times”>First Look at Health Insurance Rates for Next Year Is Encouraging - The New York Times;
<p>@reddoor, what was the premium, deductible and out of pocket for 2014?</p>