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Yes, very lucky for you. We are having a very different experience as a small business. Premiums went up ~20% for a policy equivalent to what we had last year. We opted to get a less extensive plan to cut costs. Of course, we could stop coverage entirely for our employees, but we didn’t do that. </p>
<p>hahah good question @actingmt…I have no idea.</p>
<p>I suppose I may get beat up for asking, but what am I missing??? I am not talking about loans or TA stipends. I really want to understand why grad students could receive government subsidies for food, housing and insurance (other than for reasons akin to Cardinal Fang’s Mississippi post). Does it not make more sense to attend a less expensive school or get a job (or 2 or 3) and simply take a few years longer to accomplish their academic goals? I realize that things cost more these days, but I dated a med student who financed his way by tutoring and selling his semen! </p>
<p>Somemom’s post (#34) is spot on.</p>
<p>Determining elegibility based on income is simple if you receive a regular paycheck and this system was clearly set to favor this demographic.</p>
<p>I’m in the process of getitng a new medical plan (thanks to ACA, my current plan is being discontinued as it’s non-ACA complient). When we got to the part of my stating my monthly income, well, things got difficult. I used last year’s tax statment and pulled out out adjusted gross income and divided that by 12 and added a bit because my husband thinks we will earn more this year. That said, it is truely a guessing game for us as we never really know our income (well, really our AGI) until out accountant does out taxes and tells us. The self-employed or the ‘fluid-work-situation’ folks are at a disadvantage in this situation because there is no way for us to be accurate. </p>
<p>I’d bet anything that the people who designed this system have no idea what it is like to be self-employed. </p>
<p>Lots of low-income people don’t know exactly what their income is. They do hourly work, and they don’t know how many hours they will get. And they might pick a plausible income estimate that is on the high side, in order to qualify for subsidies in a non-expansion state.</p>
<p>That’s one thing. But saying that you’re going to have income when you have no plans to get a job that provides income is another thing.</p>
<p>
It’s always best if someone else (the taxpayers) pay, according to many people. </p>
<p>I agree Cardinal Fang. I was just extremely uncomfortable guessing what my monthly income will be and I kept telling the person on the phone (when I called The Marketplace to see about health insurance) that I could only guess and she kept saying that she didn’t really know anything about taxes and how to determine monthly income. I felt like I was being forced to state an income (and I was forced as the form requires it) but that I’d be held liable if I stated something wrong. But all I can go is guess as our income varies pretty widely. </p>
<p>Kajon,
I’ll try to answer your question.</p>
<p>I think that there are so many variables that go into deciding where to go to grad school. To then expect a young adult (say 22) to have to factor in the cost of health care and how that will be paid for is just asking too much IMO. A closer school may have higher tutition but can end up cheaper because you can commute from home rather than having to rent an appartment. Or the cheaper school doesn’t have your major. There are just so many factors to consider. I"m glad that my kids didn’t have to factor in health care as well. </p>
<p>But then maybe for many it isn’t an issue as they can remain on their parent’s plan until 26. I really feel for those who are under 26 and can not be on their parents plan. To have to navigate the ACA plans is truely not for the faint of heart! </p>
<p>
If one is too immature or too incapable of the level of math required for this particular problem then one is definitely not qualified to attend grad school. Either be a grown up, or don’t be grown up. And, if it’s your kid…they YOU should cover them…not everyone else. But as was previously stated…if something has always been free then any associated costs will of course seem burdensome and unfair.</p>
<p>Good grief.</p>
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<p>It is good to check the purely loan scenario. If the student is funded with grants or obtain discounts in exchaneg of services (RA or TA) it is possible to have income but no dollars in the pocket. </p>
<p>If we confine ourselves to discussing what the situation is about the ACA in various states, rather than talking about whether we agree with the current policy, it’ll make this thread easier.</p>
<p>Bookreader, people in your situation square up the situation at tax time. That is, you make a good-faith estimate, and then at tax time you end up either getting a refund (if your real income turns out to be lower than what you said) or owing more tax (to repay the extra subsidy, if your income turns out to be higher than what you said). That’s not so bad. The problem is people just at the border of subsidy eligibility. If they make a good-faith estimate that they will be eligible for subsidies, and then they turn out not to be eligible, they could have a whopping tax bill.</p>
<p>Dietz, right? Head-shaking continues.</p>
<p>Fwiw, my doctor network with my Medicaid was actually more extensive than the insurance I now have from U of M for my GSI position. </p>
<p>YEs, CardinalFang, that is what I understand. However, when I began this process, it was all new to me and it’s been quite a learning curve. However,I am well educated and have the time to learn about this as I am not employed (husband does). I feel for those who are not well educated (or for whom English is truely a second language) and who are working crazy hours to make ends meet and then have to figure this out on top of everything else. It can be a very time consuming process. </p>
<p>Romanigypsies, how fortunate for you that you had many doctors to choose from. My relative in on Medicaid. He lives in a very densely populated state with lots of doctors (does that give away what state he lives in) and yet, the closest doctor to him who will accept Medicaid is over an hour away. </p>
<p>I’m wondering how much of the ACA perceived complexity is due to the operation being intrinsically complex, and how much to its being new. People new to the ACA, which is everybody, have to learn that they estimate their income for subsidy purposes and then reconcile at tax time. At some point, most people will have learned that, and it will no longer be strange every year. It’ll just be a thing that people know.</p>
<p>Subsidized people also have to learn to check their plan every year, to make sure they’re still getting roughly the same or bigger subsidy, and re-evaluate their choice at re-enrollment time if necessary. This coming year, people won’t know that. But pretty soon it will stop being a new thing, and just be a thing that people know.</p>
<p>bookreader- I did say that it varied by state (and even by area within that state). It is something to look into before making a decision. </p>
<p>I just don’t like the assumption that Medicaid = terrible that many people seem to make. </p>
<p>I expect you are right CF. I am clearly in the midst of this learning curve and I will freely admit that I am not happy about it. It is just a huge hassle to me. And it’s a hassle that is being foisted on me. And the person I was speak with over the phone did not seem very knowledgeable so that did not inspire confidence. </p>
<p>A dear friend just went through this a few months ago. After an unbelievalbe number of hours on the phone (multiple phone calls) he signed up everyone in his family (gave all their info like date of birth, etc). The representative he spoke with during that last call seemed very knowledgeable and very helpful. He was confident that all was well and that his famil had health care. Then when his wife actually had to use it, they found out that only the husband was registered for health care and no one else! So, he now had to fix this - and spend even more hours on the phone. This is one reason why I don’t have much confidence in the process. </p>
<p>Sorry OP for hijacking your thread.</p>
<p>Medicaid is a poverty program. Many people are not going to feel great about signing up for a poverty program or expect the best service. Obviously. In my area many doctors won’t even take ACA insurance because of low reimbursements so I’m guessing Medicaid is not going to be easy here, either.</p>
<p>We are going through a similar situation here in CA and it is clear as mud. D turns 26 during the school year. Then what? With no income here In CA, she’ll be forced onto MediCal, which is horrible I’ve read, in terms of finding a doctor. She can buy the grad school’s policy, but has to do it at the beginning of the year (or not at all), when she doesn’t need it until April. Waste of money. She will probably pay full price for a private policy starting in April, I guess.</p>
<p>Question; if the 26 y.o. receives a gift of $ (from parent), does that count as income? would that change the threshold?</p>
<p>I’m not suggesting cheating, but if the kid has no $, I suspect the parents are helping with rent and food, car insurance, whatever.</p>