OT: HealthCare/Obamacare + SAHM + our complications--anyone else?

[Mayzoo]

Our family applied for healthcare at the healthcare.gov site back in November. I am a SAHM, so I have zero income. My hubby has income, but they never asked me to prove his. The heathcare.gov site responded to my application stating I had to prove I have no income. To do this, they have stated I can send W-2's, letter from my employer, pay stubs, taxes, or a letter from the Social Security dept. I have sent my taxes, hubbies w-2s, and a letter from the SS department at the end of November. So far, they have not lifted the restriction that I must prove I have no income, so they must be rejecting the only proof I have. Since open enrollment is almost over, I am forced to remove myself off the application and start all over with a new application so I can get insurance for my kiddo.

 

I spent 2 hours on the phone again today with them, and there is no other resolution that I can tell. If I sign up all three of us, and the government decides, because I have no income, that I am not eligible for the subsidies, then we will have to pay the subsidies back, and will have wasted all the money we paid to the insurance company as well. Additionally, I would be terrified to use the insurance in the mean time, because when it is canceled, I may have to pay back that as well. This would add up to about $5,000.00 + over a six month period verses paying the $99.00 fine for my not being insured this year. Also, my daughters insurance would be in jeopardy at the time I am removed because we are all on the same application. They cannot tell what would happen to her coverage when this happens, just that "something" would happen to her coverage.

 

I know I am not the only SAHM, whose hubby does not have insurance at work. Is anyone else here in this boat with me, and if so, have you found a way to resolve this? I will try again next year at open enrollment and see if anything has changed.

[Hrosenkrantz]

mayzoo -- it looks like there is an opportunity to put this question directly to Obama next week (if you want); he's going to be doing a q&a on webMD

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/03/07/ask-president-obama-your-health-care-questions-webmd

[riffleshell]

My hunch is that the subsidies are based on household income, not individual income. So the wife of a millionaire clearly wouldn't qualify--just to use an extreme example.

[Mayzoo]

My hunch is that the subsidies are based on household income, not individual income. So the wife of a millionaire clearly wouldn't qualify--just to use an extreme example.

 

 

Yeah, if only we fit into that extreme .

 

It is based on household income. Our whole family would qualify IF they would accept our tax records or my SS records proving I have no income. Since they will not accept my taxes or my SS records, my hubby and child qualify, but my remaining on the app is holding up my daughter getting insurance. I am forced to remove myself so I can insure my child. Clearly her insurance is more important than mine. Such is life, I suppose.

[Mayzoo]

mayzoo -- it looks like there is an opportunity to put this question directly to Obama next week (if you want); he's going to be doing a q&a on webMD

 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/03/07/ask-president-obama-your-health-care-questions-webmd

 

I am reading up on that site now, THANK YOU very much for the heads up. Hubby was already saying he wants to write to the president about this but felt it would be a waste of his time.

 

It is not likely my question would be picked to be answered, but I will not know unless I try. So, I *will* try just to see. Hopefully it will help for next year, because this year I have to pick for kiddo by the 15th so she does not have a gap in coverage.