(Medicare) Retirees Need $130,000 Just to Cover Health Care, Study Finds

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10. Not necessarily - I know of two cases where Medicaid is not available

My brother in law makes all his money buying and selling on eBay. He does not make enough to pay health insurance premiums but he is below the threshold for the ACA subsidies. Because Governor Rick Scott did not expand Medicaid, he makes too much to get that. So he has no health coverage right now.

The other case is a couple I know that are both on Social Security Disability. They get less than $1800 a month. When they were working, they got Medicaid but now that they are both unable to work, they suddenly were not eligible. At least they were able to get coverage through the ACA - they have to pay almost $200 a month for that but at least they have coverage.

In states where the Republican governor or legislature didn't expand Medicaid, there is a hole that leaves out a lot of people. Fortunately there seems to be leniency in the mandate that does not require a penalty but that does not provide any coverage for healthcare.