General Discussion

xmas74

(30,059 posts)

83. I'm a single mother

Reply to progressivebydesign (Reply #73)

Sat Jun 30, 2012, 12:46 AM

Jun 2012

and my income would fall on the higher end of the poverty range, even though I work a full time job and receive no assistance. In this scenario, my child and I would both qualify for the exchange, possibly with full Medicaid. For the first time I'd actually get some help!

By the time I'm done paying for medical, dental, and vision I've paid out nearly a third of my check. (This doesn't include life, which runs the same price as my vision-pretty cheap.) I pay these bills because they need to be paid.

A couple of years ago I had a kidney stone. I was able to go to the doctor and pay for everything out of pocket. I passed it on my own. If I hadn't I would have been admitted and surgery would have been performed. Even with my insurance my bill would have been in the thousands.

I just don't understand this mentality. Most of us can find a way to pay for this. Many of us already find ways to pay for insurance, even if we can't afford it. And for those who are lower income the cost will actually go down.

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So I went to the Washington Post website, calculating costs for ACA in 2014... [View all] Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 OP

Good question. I hope that calculator is not accurate... or my parents are screwed. Comrade_McKenzie Jun 2012 #1

The worse part is the 27 percent of health care costs, considering how much... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #3

This message was self-deleted by its author FarLeftFist Jun 2012 #43

The penalty in 2014 is low nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #2

Considering that 87 bucks is enough to damn near break our budget, why bother? Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #5

If $87 is enough to break your budget, what do you do when you need tires? snooper2 Jun 2012 #9

I hope neither happens, right now we just got through a bad time where I had to use a credit card... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #17

Best wishes to the both of you. n/t PoliticAverse Jun 2012 #37

I would think that health care trumps your "not wanting to pay credit cards for 20 years." progressivebydesign Jun 2012 #68

Its fucking 50 dollars! And the reason why I'm in this debt was to help pay my fianc�e�s COBRA... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #77

In case you were wondering, I'm borrowing the internet at work, or do you think all people... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #79

No, not all people silentwarrior Jun 2012 #81

I wasn't talking to you, but to the poster who said I was too poor to be married. n/t Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #84

Indeed. And some people use the Internet at home to make money. Zalatix Jul 2012 #110

"You're asking the rest of the insured people to subsidize your credit card payments, and exploiting alcibiades_mystery Jun 2012 #91

In the midst of robbing you? I'm not sick, I haven't been using health services since... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #92

Sounds to me you'd qualify for a subsidy under ACA. Hoyt Jun 2012 #85

Exactly... and Your Cable/Cell Phone Bill per Month?? Iggy Jun 2012 #101

if you "can't afford" a couple of hundred bucks a month for health care, there's something wrong. Zalatix Jul 2012 #109

Agreed, However Iggy Jul 2012 #111

Travel and dining out probably come out to much more than $1,500. Zalatix Jul 2012 #112

HEALTH INSURANCE is Iggy Jul 2012 #115

Health insurance is NOT NECESSARY. Least of all not PRIVATE health insurance. Health care is. Zalatix Jul 2012 #116

Welcome to the reality of the working poor. Zalatix Jul 2012 #108

Then, per your post, you qualify for Medicaid and CHIP nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #15

No, my income is too high, but so are my debts. n/t Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #21

Up to 133% of the poverty line, it's free via Medicaid. TheWraith Jun 2012 #25

Yup nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #26

The problem is the subsidy for combined income is 600 bucks a year... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #30

Again look at the maximum premium table nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #32

I did, if I stay as single income, single person, it will be a little over 90 bucks a month for... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #44

It places you at 400% poverty rate. nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #47

No, 300 percent, the figure is for 2 people annual premium of $4,152... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #50

You know what current rates are? nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #54

So what does that mean in the real world, where, after I make all our other bills for the month... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #56

In the real world it means that in theory you should be able to nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #58

Actually, from what I can tell, right now, its about the same... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #60

Are you saying all the tables and calculators right now are completely useless? Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #63

Yeah, basically you are silentwarrior Jun 2012 #64

What I am saying is that the penalty will go up nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #65

I do NOT want employer based insurance, you get laid off from a job, then get sick or hurt, I have.. Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #69

YouWill be able to buy it on the exchanges nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #78

This message was self-deleted by its author Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #49

Is there a chart or table that you can use to see where you fall on the poverty line? Autumn Jun 2012 #100

There's a chart you can see here TheWraith Jul 2012 #106

The Wash Post website gives the 2016 penalties -- the year when penalties reach their max progree Jun 2012 #48

I don't know about the copays, but $300 to $400 for premiums is a steal. NYC_SKP Jun 2012 #4

So basically we should stop eating, and live on the street? Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #6

If you're income is that low then you're not going to be paying any premiums at all. NYC_SKP Jun 2012 #31

Not according the the tables and calculators everyone is posting... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #46

If you break a bone, need X-Rays or tests, what do you do? NYC_SKP Jun 2012 #51

My income, by itself, is about 1300 bucks a month, 300-400 dollars is damn near a.... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #55

Then you qualify for subsidies. nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #66

Yes, and I already explained that if I remain single, I can afford it, I'm planning on getting... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #74

Nadin, you are conflating gross with net or at least you two are each discussing a different TheKentuckian Jun 2012 #97

He is also taking of his future combined net income nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #98

How on ProSense Jun 2012 #75

We have tried nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #80

And I tried to explain that, we would get a 600 dollar annual subsidy... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #82

I understand. nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #86

I still have 2 years, maybe it will improve, but I'm just wondering if it would be better... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #87

The new ideal will be to have lots of in kind assets (paid for home, garden, ect) and low income kelly1mm Jun 2012 #103

Something ProSense Jun 2012 #89

I'm calculating for after marriage, our income now is technically... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #95

No, stop overpaying your credit cards and pay for health insurance like an adult. progressivebydesign Jun 2012 #71

I put an extra 50 bucks a month above the minimum on my 1 credit card so I can possibly pay it off.. Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #76

I wonder, do I have to buy into this mandate? SammyWinstonJack Jun 2012 #7

Your husband no Sgent Jun 2012 #10

His SSDI and small pension from the Teamsters which will be reduced when he SammyWinstonJack Jun 2012 #22

You will qualified for highly subsidized rates nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #16

It doesn't look like that is the case. I am confused. SammyWinstonJack Jun 2012 #23

Where are you from poverty rates? nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #36

Try this calculator also... PoliticAverse Jun 2012 #8

Even worse, assuming we get individual plans... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #12

I can tell you that marital status most certainly does matter, if you are not married you can not Bluenorthwest Jun 2012 #11

The website seems to calculate based on "household" which can include roommates... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #14

Legally household is married people nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #19

If that's the case, we shouldn't get married, the penalty is too high. n/t Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #24

Look this is same definition as your tax code nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #27

So if we combine incomes, our premiums will cost 200+% more than if we stay single... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #28

Look at this table nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #29

That table just confirms what I said... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #33

I take it you have no insurance right now nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #38

No I don't, I can't afford it. Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #40

Well I hope you don't need it. nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #41

I did that and my penalty would be a cool 700 bucks quinnox Jun 2012 #13

Again, you should qualify for subsidies nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #18

Here is a (approximate) maximum premium table... PoliticAverse Jun 2012 #20

It may depend on how your state sets it up bhikkhu Jun 2012 #34

If you plan the cheaper fine who will pay if you need medical attention Thinkingabout Jun 2012 #35

That be easy, the rest of us. nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #39

He may not intend to be sick. Mass Jun 2012 #42

Actually if I moved to Canada, at my income level, my taxes would drop about 50-60 bucks compared... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #45

So ProSense Jun 2012 #53

Just using it as a comparison, I'm just saying that if you have to raise my taxes of my income... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #57

Actually taxes in both Canada and england nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #59

Yeah, but not for people at my income level... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #61

Taxes in Canada are comparable to this country. RC Jun 2012 #62

Wow, our annual payment will drop from $4800 to "$960 to 1,512". Currently we have10 thou deductible uppityperson Jun 2012 #52

So let me get this straight... progressivebydesign Jun 2012 #67

So only rich people should be allowed to get married? Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #72

I'm paying well over $200 a month right now xmas74 Jun 2012 #70

I also pay over $200.00 a month for catastrophic, thru independent insurance. progressivebydesign Jun 2012 #73

I'm a single mother xmas74 Jun 2012 #83

You have a child, are close to poverty level, and recieve no assistance? Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #88

I'm in Missouri. xmas74 Jun 2012 #105

Just for starts, if your girlfriend is on disability and Medicaid (and I am assuming ehr disability JDPriestly Jun 2012 #90

A lot of debt accumulated, she didn't get either of those things until recently... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #93

Average rates around the country are north of 500/ month, and those are not stellar nadinbrzezinski Jun 2012 #94

Those are the parts I like, I just wish they locked premiums to being no more than 5% of income... Humanist_Activist Jun 2012 #96

If premiums work out as more than 8%, you can decline and pay no penalty tax muriel_volestrangler Jun 2012 #99

So if she'd had medical insurance you wouldn't be in the hole you are in now? NotThisTime Jun 2012 #102

Actually, the COBRA put us quite a bit in the hole, and now, months later, the insurance plan... Humanist_Activist Jul 2012 #117

By going with the tax, you risk medical bankruptcy. Ruby the Liberal Jun 2012 #104

You could just ignore the tax. Sirveri Jul 2012 #107

You didn't say what state you are in, whether you will have exchanges to access.... Honeycombe8 Jul 2012 #113

If you don't want ins., don't get it. You have that choice. If it's only about the premiums for you, Honeycombe8 Jul 2012 #114