Obamacare Enrollment: The Deadline Is Near, Sign Up!
Posted by Michelle Moquin on March 25th, 2014
Good morning!
BLOG UPDATE:
Readers: As you probably have guessed, everything was not working correctly in blogsville. We were still experiencing some migration challenges still from moving from one server to another. However, I am HOPEful that this is now resolved…although no promises… Keeping our fingers crossed. :)
As far as the blog url address, that has changed from .com to .net. The new address is blog.michellemoquin.net. So, although there is a redirect from blog.michellemoquin.com to blog.michellemoquin.net, please take note and change your bookmarks bar to go directly to blog.michellemoquin.net.
I HOPE that is clear.
Now onto today’s write. There’s only a few more days until the March 31 deadline to enroll in health insurance or pay a fine. So, if you haven’t done so already, get on it.
From Think Progress:
The Final Stretch
Momentum Is Building As Enrollment Deadline Nears
We’ve been talking about the Affordable Care Act a lot this month, and we will continue to do so as the days tick away until the March 31 deadline to enroll in health insurance or pay a fine. With just 12 days left, more and more people are signing up for coverage and the word is spreading about affordable care. Here’s what has been going on:
- 5 million have now signed up for private insurance in the state and federal marketplaces. On the heels of last week’s announcement that 4.2 million had enrolled through the end of February, the Department of Health and Human Services announced Monday that enrollment has now passed the 5 million mark. That’s 800,000 additional enrollments in just over two weeks – almost the same as the entire month of February. Enrollment is increasing rapidly as the deadline approaches, and it will continue to do so in the remaining days. This is in addition to the millions who are gaining coverage through Medicaid and the 3.1 million who have coverage by staying on the parents’ plan.
- 1 million have signed up for coverage in California. California has been a leader in helping to implement the law, and as a consequence has seen a huge number of people benefitting from the law. The state’s insurance exchange, Covered California, passed a million people enrolled on Saturday—one-fifth of all sign-ups nationwide. “We are pleased and privileged to be helping a million people find the peace of mind that comes with having insurance,” the exchange’s Executive Director said. “But we’re not stopping at a million.”
- Celebrities line up to lend their voices to enrollment efforts. Ever since President Obama sat down for the hilarious “Between Two Ferns” interviewwith comedian Zach Galifianakis, the administration has rolled out numerous other celebrity voices to spread the word about the law. LeBron Jamesrecorded a public service announcement in which he reminded his audience, “You never know when you might take a hit.” A number of celebrities’ momssat down to ask, “Seriously, do you want your mothers to have a nervous breakdown? You need health insurance.” And famed NCAA basketball coaches Geno Auriemma and Roy Williams recorded a video to kick off a different kind of bracket – the sweet 16 reasons to get covered. Obama willmake his first appearance as President on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” tomorrow to tout the law.
- Report finds sports injuries that are common among young people cost thousands. Many of the “young invincibles” who don’t think it’s worth it to enroll in health care coverage might want to think again. Accidents happen, and when they do health care can be costly. A broken arm, for example, costs an average of $7,700.
Meanwhile, as millions of Americans get access to health insurance for the first time, Republicans in Congress continue their repeal-at-all-costs approach. Their latest anti-Obamacare bill would cause a spike in insurance premiums up to 20 percent and leave 13 million fewer Americans with insurance. And while the GOP keeps insisting it will provide an alternative to the ACA, you shouldn’t believe the hype. The New York Times even called out their latest gambit for what it was: all new talk, but no new ideas. The only plan they agree on is to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
BOTTOM LINE: While Republicans keep trying to figure out ways to repeal the ACA and go back to the days when insurance companies were in charge of your health care, the new health care law’s successes march on. Insurance sign-ups passed another historic threshold Monday, with 5 million now covered. And there are numerous outreach efforts to keep the momentum up through the March 31 deadline to enroll.
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Readers: I look forward to seeing your comments. Thanks for your patience. As always, so happy you are here.
xox
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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March 26th, 2014 at 12:41 pm
Funny how when Howie talks, everybody listens and governments shut down the blog.
Wonder what that means.
March 26th, 2014 at 12:43 pm
Obama is doing the best he can to give all Americans health care.
March 26th, 2014 at 12:43 pm
You’re just saying that because you voted for him.
March 26th, 2014 at 12:44 pm
Mike#3 and how do you know that Yolanda voted for Obama.
March 26th, 2014 at 12:46 pm
43 Presidents before Obama, all Caucasian . And Mike and the rest of his ilk want us to believe all those white men got there without their color being a factor?..
Lol..only white men ,they must had been the only qualified candidates at the time..lol
March 26th, 2014 at 12:47 pm
Odd….I’ve never met a black woman named Yolanda. If it’s “common”, then please define. What percentage of the black female population has this name. State your sources.
Please, also reference a credible source where you got the “95%” statistic. Did Gallup Poll talk to every black in America and ask why they voted for Obama (cough, cough) and learned it was because of his race? I tried to research your statement and found nothing to support your supposition.
I have no problem if someone wants to state an opinion. But don’t try to pass off your opinion as FACT. Absolutely nothing you said is based in any quantifiable fact. You made a sweeping, racially targeted comment.
March 26th, 2014 at 12:48 pm
Skin color was not a factor in any other presidential election. This was the first and his only qualification.
March 26th, 2014 at 12:49 pm
95% of Blacks voted for Obama because of His skin Color ..You are right ..So I’m Guessing white people never Voted for the 43 white Presidents before him based on thier skin color..?..lol..You can’t be serious ,Talk about the pot calling the Kettle Black..
March 26th, 2014 at 12:51 pm
David#7, Skin color and sex were both a factor in all those other 43 elections. Heck, in all of the early elections you couldn’t get on the ballot for candidate if you weren’t a white male.
Can you really be seriously suggesting that only white males were qualified to run in those other 43?
March 26th, 2014 at 12:53 pm
A huge percent OF WHITES DIDN’T VOTE FOR HIM BECAUSE OF THAT VERY SAME REASON…SO WHAT’S YOUR POINT?
March 26th, 2014 at 12:55 pm
I am currently unemployed and constantly searching for work. Everyone knows that when a person is on unemployment they can barely afford the basic bills, let alone insurance.
My lowest coverage option is telling me $490?!! I would be on the streets because that’s more than what I get in unemployment. Maybe instead of sending our jobs overseas we can focus on those here that need to work and not focus on making it harder to live day to day.
March 26th, 2014 at 12:55 pm
I don’t remember having anyone over my shoulder when I voted to be able to say I voted for him. Thanks anyways for your comments
March 26th, 2014 at 12:56 pm
I live in NYC and make a lot of money. Now thanks to Barry my insurance was cancelled and I can buy a new policy for 850 a month and a 7000 deductible. Fu barry
March 26th, 2014 at 5:59 pm
Alan #13, your insurance was most likely cancelled because it didn’t meet the minimum requirements. But at least your new policy will be better. You’ll now have access to birth control and maternity leave!! Oh, you’re a male? That’s too bad… The govt knows what’s best for you.
March 26th, 2014 at 6:01 pm
Alan13, that is not correct. I also live in NYC and just enrolled in a platinum plan for $577 a month with no deductible. In NYS, the new plans are a lot more affordable compared to pre-ACA. A similar plan in 2013 would cost $2000 a month.
March 26th, 2014 at 6:29 pm
Nancy#15, that sounds right. This law isn’t about health care per se, its about insurance company regulation,, something that is long over due. If we aren’t going to single payer, which makes by far the most sense, this is the next best option.
I will be able to get platinum coverage back, I had it, for about $1000 per month. When my job ended and I couldn’t affort it, I get the statee sponsered coverage, VT, for free. I am now employed, and have no problem paying up to $500 per. The VT state insurance people tell me I can get my top shelf coverage back for $500 per month.
I like this! And I suspect so would most if the Right would stop telling lies and allow the people to decide for themselves.
March 26th, 2014 at 6:37 pm
Stephen, #16 – So it’s about making it mandatory to buy insurance on your own body and the only way to opt out is to die. This does what to bring down premiums? Nothing. I can tell you with certainty that premiums will triple within the next 5 years, because with mandatory purchase they have no reason to keep pricing affordable.
It must be nice to get a law passed that forces and entire country to buy your product or face violent coercion. Car insurance may be mandatory, but you can choose not to have a car. If I could get a law passed to force everybody in the nation to buy my product, I’d raise the price by 100% every year (if I was evil like the CROOKS that put this in place).
March 26th, 2014 at 8:11 pm
Bryan#17, its hardly force when the fine/tax one pays is tied to their income, and is LESS than the cost of insurance, and goes to covering the cost of the uninsured .
Look, if you don’t have insurance and get sick/hurt and need medical care, then I, and taxpayers like me, are going to be paying for your medical care.
The only way your argument works is if anyone without insurance is denied emergency medical care!
Where is the fairness if you can chose not to pay for health insurance, knowing that if you get hurt, the tax payers will cover your care!
March 26th, 2014 at 8:13 pm
I’m leaning toward taking the tax hit. It will be what, 1% of my income for this first year. That is $370 out of my refund. The way I have it set up now that would be half of my refund but it is still the cheaper path compared to taking on an added $200 expense when my budget is already tight with paying for education and other living expenses.
When I spoke with a rep from the health coverage hot line she strongly advised I send in the paper work to have them look at my qualifications for payment assistance. Explain the situation and see happens before totally writing it off.
The law is meant to be affordable and the online system is only looking at numbers based on last years taxes. It doesn’t take into account circumstances such as education expenses, current health needs, etc.
March 26th, 2014 at 8:15 pm
The Right will never admit it but this is a much needed item for Americans. Under the old way i watched my neighbor lose his house, car, and family because he got cancer. He got better but he doesn’t even have two pennies to rub together nor a wife to hold him.
One of the main reasons they hate it is the black guy got it for them.