'The ACA is safe': Justice Kavanaugh shocks legal experts by suggesting he will save Obamacare

[Ms. Toad]

76. You should get a statement from whoever provides your insurance

about which months you were covered.

We'll find out in April how it works as a practical matter - my daughter lost her job due to bankruptcy in February, was on the ACA plan from March - July. She became eligible in July for an employer plan, so she had overlapping plans for the month of July (to try to avoid a new out-of pocket by treating her employer as primary for July - with the ACA plan picking up the out of pocket).

So she was eligible for subsidies March - June, then had to re-apply without a subsidy for August, with a doubling of her premium and a 400% increase in her out of pocket (within the same year).

That was a nightmare.

So we'll see how the taxes go, as a practical matter.

It is extremely hard to get good information on the practical details of the ACA. Everyone (including Sherrod Brown's office) told us the out of pocket was fixed at the time the plan was bought - and that no subsidies were involved. I knew they were wrong, but since they disagreed with the basic premise, I couldn't get anyone to answer the next question - which was - will we have to start over with the full $8,000 out of pocket? Will we be treated as having met the $2,000 out of pocket by virtue of having had $20,000 in expenses that would have met the $8,000 unsubsidized amount? or will we have to top off the $2,000 with another $6,000?

The answer - in case anyone cares - is that (as a practical matter) it is the first option or the third - at the whim of the insurance company. They can start the year over again ($8,000) or give you credit for what you have already met and require you to pay the rest. Even if the government theoretically has already paid the rest on your behalf.