Healthcare Penalties and being unemployed

[happy2bhere]

What to do?

I will have to pay $95 a month? From where? I haven't worked for years. Recently divorced from a man that when I did find part time work, took the car away and would NOT help with childcare on weekends.

So, here I am. Not even close to 65. Not a home owner. I got nuttin. Even the 11 year old car's future is a roll of the die.

Living as a "guest" in my daughters home.

My lawyer called this am to let me know the status of my ex signing over the title to the car and asked if I signed up for the healthcare crap and if not, I will pay penalties.

I'll admit I was comfortable being under ex's medical/dental/vision which ended August 2013. Info on the looming mandate didn't even phase me.

Can I just opt out? Or, will my daughter have to pay my penalties along with cell phone, car insurance, etc???

This sux. Big time. Just wrong.

 

[kind2creatures]

Anyone signing up for a health plan under Obamacare/Affordable Care Act has to fill out an application for Medicaid, even if their income is nowhere near the Medicaid guidelines.

Their income for 2013 is the judgment for Medicaid qualification or rejection. If you get a rejection number/letter, then you move forward to shop for a plan, as I did.

You'll have to check online, I think the family limit for Medicaid is around $15,000 a year, likely half for an individual. I think that this is a good thing for folks like yourself with no income coming in...that was the point of the plan in the first place, to help low/no income people get insurance coverage.

Just because you're unemployed and have no income, does not mean you should be without insurance coverage. Look into it, the sooner the better.

 

[Solstice Goat]

Hopefully this isn't too late

How to Avoid the Obamacare Penalty

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), also called the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but better known as simply Obamacare, is a collection of new taxes masquerading as a healthcare law.

Obamacare institutes new taxes on indoor tanning services, drug companies, medical device manufacturers, comprehensive health insurance plans, and health insurers. It increases the employee share of the Medicare tax (currently 1.45 percent) to 2.35 percent on that portion of income that is more than $200,000 for individuals or $250,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly. It also adds a new 3.8 percent Medicare tax on investment income that will apply to the lesser of one’s net investment income or the amount of adjusted gross income in excess of applicable thresholds

 

[happy2bhere]

Just to update -

Thank you to both first off.

I am now Working, paying taxes. Part-time and on some type of assisted insurance. Through the State.

Possibly looking into buying MY OWN type of coverage...would this help me in the event they want to force some type of over-hyped meds/injections to remain on "their" insurance?

I want none of it. I have worked long and hard to get off the meds I was told I would be on for life: over 9 years and counting. Doing MY OWN research (like I read here) on how to live healthy and FREE OF MDs!!

Forcing medications on people is unconscionable. What is next? Tattoos and "work" camps?

Sorry. I get so emotional when I think of how badly our rights are being run over by huge corporations and very rich folk that seem to get the laws bent to serve them.

 

[kind2creatures]

I'm very happy on the ACA, and I'm not forced into anything. I'm not on any meds, and only see the doctor every few years when I decide to have some bloodwork done or something.

I've been with Kaiser for little cost all my full time working years, and when I retired I went to paying Cobra payments for premiums which were very expensive. The ACA has cut those costs substantially, so that's very helpful to me. I saved while working so I could retire and enjoy life before I was too old and sickly, and I don't have a lot of money.

Glad you're off the meds Happy, that's great! Honestly, I think we'd all fare better with Universal Healthcare like they have in so many other countries. The cost of medical care, drugs and hospital stays are over the top, it's very disturbing.

 

[Firekin4]

And what's the penalty for not paying the penalty? Maximum security prison?

 

[bulrush]

Can I just opt out?

No. This is what the American people wanted, so that's what they got. You either pay for insurance, or pay the fines, which will be skyrocketing soon. See if you can get subsidized Obamacare. You very likely qualify since you have no income.
Lots of people at McDonald's earn so little they get fully or partially subsidized Obamacare.

There's some info no the fines here going up to 2016. "$695 per adult, plus $347.50 per child, max $2085 or 2.5% of income".

I hope that helps.

 

[Carina Mellbin]

Hi good day!
I'm new here and I'm learning from your post.

 

[happy2bhere]

A day at the clinic...

And what's the penalty for not paying the penalty? Maximum security prison?

Makes you wonder. I would not doubt prison time!!!

Sooo, MY STORY:

After YEARS of taking care of my health through various means (usual doctors, chiro, naturopaths, etc), I decided to make the very first appointment thru a clinic I am "assigned" to go to.

That appointment was yesterday - the 15th. (Been four years since seeing one when I had BlueCross/BlueShield thru marriage)

Usual wait of over 40 minutes with only ME in waiting room? CHECK

Being asked the usual round of personal questions in the public area? CHECK

Meeting the "attending physician" but could not understand her due to heavy accent? CHECK

"Physician" asking specific questions as if following script? CHECK

"Physician" looked at lower eye lids and listen to breathing ONLY? CHECK

"Physician" asking questions of my health concerns, etc. NO

Any type of "exam"? NO



I left the office after instructed to go back to public desk area and await my instructions.

I was handed a sheet of paper detailing when and where to see a gynecologist for a PAP and Mammogram.

Centers for where to get a tetanus shot.

Labwork requiring results for HIV/HEP C. :shock:

And that is it.

I have NEVER shared a needle in my entire life nor did anything like that ever ever ever. I was more of the paper cuts from reading books kind of gal. Maybe some drinky later on

Unless my exhusband slept around, I doubt hiv is in my bloodwork. As a matter of precaution a doctor did discreetly check after it was found I had blood replacement in 1980 for a surgical procedure. (Ovarian cyst) ALL CLEAR.

Never played around. No drug use. Eat Organic. Gluten free. Exercise. Etc Etc.

I gave the woman my recent blood works I ORDERED, and told her I was concerned about low uric acid. She smiled and said there is nothing to worry about. Oh, whew.:roll: Thanks. (Should have just asked Dr. Google.)

Told "doc" of recent kidney stone and my concerns....crickets.

REPLIED: "Tentanus vaccine, xrays, invasive procedures, blood work for STDs. If no to colonoscopy - then here is stool kit."

I am just amazed. I feel as if I was thrown into a "pool" and treated like a piece of cattle, not a human.

I ordered my OWN bloods. And then some. Drug screen, too. And titers. I charged it all. I will see a dr at a local planned parenthood for pap.

Sorry, TMI.

I hate it. All of it. It's so wrong. There is NO CHOICE in this country any more. No more freedom to choose a thing.

Awful. :yuck:

 

[kind2creatures]

I'm very happy on the ACA, and I'm not forced into anything. I'm not on any meds, and only see the doctor every few years when I decide to have some bloodwork done or something.

I've been with Kaiser for little cost all my full time working years, and when I retired I went to paying Cobra payments for premiums which were very expensive. The ACA has cut those costs substantially, so that's very helpful to me. I saved while working so I could retire and enjoy life before I was too old and sickly, and I don't have a lot of money.

Glad you're off the meds Happy2BeHere, that's great! Honestly, I think we'd all fare better with Universal Healthcare like they have in so many other countries. The cost of medical care, drugs and hospital stays are over the top, it's very disturbing.

Sorry you feel you're treated like cattle Happy, but I have the same experience at the doctor's office using Kaiser as I did before the ACA, no changes except lower monthly payments and some routine preventative tests are now completely free, no copay. So I have no complaints at all.

 

[happy2bhere]

Hi kind2 --
with my "previous" BC/BS, I knew my doctor. I chose her/him and the other medical centers that I felt best served MY needs.

Cannot do that now. I am given a clinic. The person I saw that day is a student. Ireally feel I deserved a phone call from her about the lab results. That is how it was handled back in the day...like the time I had a plastic surgeon remove a mole from my arm. He called. "Happy, can you come to my office today?"

Maybe there is just soooooo many people on this type of "coverage." THere is no contact.


One of the tests I was given was occult blood *stool test. Came back positive.

I Called the clinic (that has it's OWN lab and sent the results to me in a text)...but could NOT get thru to anyone.

Called the appointment desk and asked if I could speak to the "doctor" that gave me the health instructions and was told she would call me later in pm.

Never did.

I did get a call from a woman I could NOT understand, since I do NOT speak Spanish...I could barely make out "what is your birthday?"

I replied and she informed me where to have the colonoscopy performed since the results were positive. Actually, I could not understand what she said at all. I think I started crying.

I told her have the doctor call me please.

Next day, I bought another test...negative.

Then I ordered one thru LabCorp and received NEGATIVE for blood results.

I would still like to speak to the woman that "handled" my information.

I have also run my own bloods: NO HEP-C and NO HIV! whew...

I also called my PCP to change the clinic. I will not go back.

The scoping test isn't all that benign. There is uncertainty if the camera is free of mucous, blood, tissue from the previous 100 patients. Cannot have it soaking for too long for that costs money!!

Isn't that a great way to get HIV or HEP-C? :yuck:

No thanks.