Senator Rand Paul has been one of the biggest critics of the Affordable Care Act. You might remember when he took out a policy on the marketplace for his family, which placed his son in Kentucky on Medicaid. He told the public over and over his woes of trying to sign up, trying to pay and the general confusion about if he was actually signed up.
Now, Senator Rand Paul, is saying repeal is unlikely.
In Indianapolis, we have had about 100,000 people get health coverage because of the ACA law, and many Hoosiers have benefited from tax credits. We placed a large amount of people on the exchange which brought about huge tax credits. Older couples went from $1,400 per month to only $300 per month after the tax credit!
Large families that were accustomed to paying $1,200 per month are now paying only $500 per month. Many Hoosiers were able to place dependents on Medicaid programs when they did not even know they were eligible for enrollment.
Then there was the “Holy Grail” benefit of the ACA: guaranteed issue! No matter how you felt about the new law, this was the one aspect that everyone could agree on. The ability to obtain a health policy without being denied is a positive impact of the law no matter how you look at it.
Despite all of the positives, there are still a few segments of Hoosiers that are not benefiting from the ACA, but instead being penalized.
First is our middle class, who do not qualify for tax credits. They have seen large rate increases in health premiums. Next are the group health plans being provided by small group employers. On average, these plans have seen 35-55% rate increases. This is going to be a huge problem for local small businesses.
Recently, Indianapolis agreed to allow “grandmothering” which will extend non-ACA compliant health plans. The administration, both locally and federally, have realized how big of a negative impact the ACA is going to have on small groups.
Going forward, the opponents of the ACA will have plenty of arguments to make about the cost of the law. The proponents will have a difficult time defending the cost. The other issue is Hoosiers having to make decisions about new doctors and taking on more risk in out-of-pocket.
It does not matter if you agree or disagree with the law, you have to make the best decision for you regarding your health policy. That’s where we come in! We can help you make an informed decision. Call us today to get started at (800) 846-8615.
