Family Glitch Hurts Real Families – Story
Ads by +HealthNetwork
The story title speaks for it’s self. The family glitch has made my wife insurance unaffordable but mandatory since my job only pays my insurance and not kids or spouse. So instead of being able to get obamas affordable health care since she would qualify my job makes the family glitch come into play and jacks up the rates. I wanna know why this was allowed to happen and before I get a blame the republican comments it’s the democrats push for more government control that has caused this massive spiral. Both parties are corrupt I just wanna see the glitch fixed where it’s actually what it’s called the affordable care act.
Tiffany L Maher
This family glitch has destroyed our financial stability. My husband is self-employed, but technically I can insure him and our children through my work, for a cost of $1358 per month. That is 26% of our income. Because he is offered coverage (that is technically “affordable” according to these unrealistic rules), he does not qualify for marketplace insurance and/or assistance. My husband is uninsured as a result and we end up paying a penalty or starving. This system is disgusting.
Mag
My husband and I just agonized for days over the “family glitch”. He lost his job almost 2 years ago and we got on Medicaid (this was the first time in either of our lives that we got any kind of assistance), which was great since we have a 6 and 8 year old. After he found a job, we were offered transitional Medicaid. Again great, it let us get back on our feet. But, it expires at the end of October. My husband’s company offers a plan with a $5K deductible. Imagine covering that and the premiums and coinsurances with a family of 4 on $53K a year (yest that takes us out of the running for CHIP). For my husband alone, the deductible is $2.5K and costs just $93 per month. Well under the threshold, right? For this wonderful coverage to be extended to me and the kids, we get the privilege of paying $900 a month. This does not include dental or vision, that’s another $102.00 per month (so much for getting my kids checked for the juvenile macular degeneration that runs in the family or making sure their tiny teeth don’t rot out of their heads). I go to the marketplace and get told we’re not eligible for the subsidy because my husband’s plan is “affordable”! What?!!! The family plan is nearly 1/4 of our income each month. In what universe is that affordable? It gets worse. I check out the plans in the market place, they are all the same price or higher for “comparable” coverage. My husband’s is PPO, the ones I found with similar premiums and deductibles are all HMOs. Get this…none of them cover our doctors, our local hospital, or the nearest children’s hospital! Again, what?! I just cry. What else is there to do? This all makes me physically and emotionally ill. Too bad my new insurance plan won’t cover that until I pay the first $5K! Now I see why people try to game the system.
Roxanne Dmytruk
My family is affected by the glitch. We are struggling because of it. Spouse covesrage is outrageous!! Luckily there is Chip for kids. This problem needs to be fixed promptly!! No reason why low to moderate income people need to suffer. Let those that aren’t offered coverage through an employer the right to get subsidized coverage on the exchange. No family should be burdened by these high costs. Let the affordable care act work for everyone- not just a select group!! Hope this problem gets action soon!!!
Rob Hagerstrom
For what it is worth I have been dealing with the same issue in regards to my employer paying 100% of my health insurance costs but nothing towards my family leaving us with little options. For us previous the affordable care act, our family health insurance from the employer was $420 per month with a low $700 deductible. After the ACA was enacted premiums went up $895 per month with a $3000 deducible. This amount is nearly 30% of my income. The last year my spouse has been without health insurance and my three children 2, 4, and 18 have had medical assistance through the state. Now when my oldest turns 19 in September she loses medical assistance and joins the uninsured with my spouse but my two younger ones will keep it. If my oldest daughter applies on her own for medical assistance then my two younger ones lose it. I have now chosen to insure my family through the employer after nearly 2 years of hek that has been caused by the ACA. I have spent nearly a year contacting politicians with each of the parties wither blaming each other or simply saying that we will let the Senitor know of the issue with nothing being acknowledged. I have been on the phone the the US Depart of Health, Left messages at the white house and sent emails to the online site only to be sent a generic message on how many people it has helped and how great it is. I have left messages now with Sylvia at CMS.gov and no return calls back at all. At this point it seems like anyone begging for help is nothing but a broken record player. According to many sites that I have read including the Kaiser Foundation. The IRS has the ability to fix along with the President that sign this law into effect, but it came down to money at the end. They had to stay within a certain guideline and the way to do it was tell employers they had to cover the employee and there affordable rates would be deemed only on self only employee coverage. Unless the Affordable Care Act is repealed or we start voting out the folks that created and passed this financial hardship that was created on our spouses and children we will be up creek for years to come. Start hounding the politicians weekly and let them know you are pissed. Every time you call their staffers will play stupid as well. Then when state fairs come around visit them as most have booths.
connie
prayers for both of you. I agree about the run around when government officials are called. this is a burden to hard working families.
ObamaCareFacts.com
This is one of the big sticking points in the law in my opinion. The family glitch hurts real hardworking Americans and needs to be addressed.