There are many articles about ACA nationally but does anyone here in the MN group know how the

[jwirr]

web site for MN is doing? How many Minnesotans have signed up for Obamacare so far?

[PoliticAverse]

1. Two articles from last week...

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2013/11/06/mnsure-signups-nearly-triple-in-second-2-weeks/

http://www.startribune.com/local/231092261.html

[progree]

2. Here's a couple Minnesota ACA stories

The notes and what is in ()'s are mine or a mixture of the article's and mine.

# Three Minnesota Democrats back Republican health-plan-cancellation bill (Rick Nolan, Collin Peterson, Tim Walz -- these happen to be the 3 rural Dem. congresspeople. The two Dems that voted against the Repub plan were the urban area reps: Keith Ellison and Betty McCollum. Yes, MN's 3 RepubliCON reps voted for the bill)
http://www.minnpost.com/dc-dispatches/2013/11/three-minnesota-democrats-back-republican-health-plan-cancellation-bill

# Correction: MNsure topped 90 percent of enrollment goal in first month
http://www.minnpost.com/political-agenda/2013/11/correction-mnsure-topped-90-percent-enrollment-goal-first-month
(I read it -- MNSure claims the original goal was the sum of both private insurance and MinnesotaCare signups, and they achieved 90% of that goal).


I follow the "Minnesota scene" mostly by http://news.yahoo.com/local/
and the first time I entered my zip code (a Minneapolis area zip code) and so each time I click on the "local" link it takes me to http://news.yahoo.com/local/Minneapolis-12781882.html
(covers St. Paul pretty well too).

[Arger68]

3. My insurance scenario:

I have signed up for an account but haven't gotten insurance through the exchange yet. I am self-employed, currently I have insurance with $10,000 deductible and $2,000,000 lifetime limit. My current policy costs $185.00 per month, and I just got a letter from my insurance co. that it goes up to $227.00 per month on my 46th birthday (in January 2014). Through mnsure I can get a bronze plan for $285.00 per month ($6350.00 deductible with 40% co-pay and no lifetime limit) or $340.00 per month for a silver plan (I think it's $3000.00 deductible can't remember what or if there is a co-pay). I am pretty sure I will be eligible for a tax credit but it's hard to figure out through mnsure, I will end up calling the phone number for a navigator. Bottom line is, for $58.00 per month more I will drop my deductible by $3650.00, plus no lifetime cap, plus I will be eligible for a health savings account, which I wasn't before. Also, I have pre-existing conditions which prevented me from lowering my deductible before. I cant see any scenario by this that doesn't benefit me in some way!

[progree]

4. "I will be eligible for a tax credit but it's hard to figure out through mnsure"

This may help:
http://www.mnsure.org/individual-family/cost/

So might this: http://www.valuepenguin.com/ppaca/exchanges/mn

Or this:

http://healthreform.kff.org/SubsidyCalculator.aspx

http://healthreform.kff.org/SubsidyCalculator.aspx#incomeAgeTables

Poverty guidelines: http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/index.cfm

[question everything]

5. It took a few tries, but MNsure user is satisfied

Letter in today's strib:

On Oct. 11, the Star Tribune published my letter about MNsure and the Affordable Care Act. I stated that while I was generally a supporter of both the ACA and of our state health plan exchange, MNsure, I was frustrated with officials who were saying that the online system’s glitches were fixed. That was in conflict with my experience of not being able to create an account.

One month later, the situation has improved immensely, and I thought I owed the staff at MNsure and Star Tribune readers a “Chapter 2” of my experience. Shortly after my letter was published, I was able to create my account. During the period of glitches, I had still been able to shop for plans and had been successful at selecting one with which I was quite pleased.

The new plan presents some advantages: a lower deductible and a lower monthly premium, while allowing me to continue to use the large clinic system where I have received care for more than 20 years. Many people are curious when they hear my story, so I will just state that no, I did not qualify for tax credits or assistance.

I spoke a couple of times with a representative from MNsure on the phone; I found him to be well-informed, polite and responsive. He was able to guide me through the last glitch in the system, which was to pay my first month’s premium online.

Next, I will visit my neighborhood Lunds store to see if it sells crow.

JAMES NASTOFF, Minneapolis

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/232121311.html