Thursday, February 5, 2015

How Four Words May Impact Your Life Dramatically!

By Coleen Elkins
On March 4, 2015 The Supreme Court will begin hearing the lawsuit King vs. Burwell. The lawsuit boils down to four words written in the Affordable Care Act Law itself. Those words are beginning to echo repeatedly as the time approaches. The four words are "established by the state". When the Supreme Court hears a case they must rule on the law as it is written. The Court's job is not to find the intent of the author(s) of the law. 

If Court finds the law is held to those four words it may mean that the Federal Exchange was never intended to exist as part of the law. Thirty six states never created exchanges of their own and one more state dissolved their exchange after a disastrous failure and looked to the Federal Exchange to insure their subsidized residents for 2015. 

The law's top official Sylvia Burwell has refused to discuss "Plan B" in the event the law is ruled against. She is insistent President Obama is confident the Supreme Court will rule in the laws favor. They have not warned their customers their subsidies could be in danger. 

The new Republican Congress has drafted "Plan B" without the participation of Ms. Burwell. The proposal is not yet a bill, and would offer tax credits to people making up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level. Slightly lower threshold than currently in place. 

Preexisting medical conditions could not be denied when switching coverage as long as they have been continuously covered for at least 18 months. The uninsured would qualify to enroll for a onetime enrollment period. Health insurance could be purchased across state lines which would open up competition.

The Supreme Court decision is expected by the end of June. 


The deadline to enroll in health insurance under the Affordable Care Act for 2015 is February 15th. If you or someone you know has not enrolled in health insurance by then you will be unable to do so without a special election period or qualifying event. 

You can learn more by visiting our website: http://www.yourhealthbenefitsmarketplace.com 












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