The government just announced some big changes to try and fix Obamacare

[applegrove]

by Bob Bryan at Business Insider

http://www.businessinsider.com/obamacare-changes-cms-insurance-markets-2016-8

"SNIP...............



A few of the 14 total proposals include:

1. Using some of the fees from the Federally-funded marketplace for outreach to get more young people to sign up.

2. Strengthening rules for signing up for insurance outside of the open enrollment period to ensure people are not waiting until they are sick to get coverage.

3. Take prescription drug use into account when evaluating the risk profile of potential patients. Previously, this had not been taken into account and insurers argues it prevented them from getting a full picture of possible patients' health status.

4. Requiring insurance companies that offer a bronze plan in an exchange (the lowest level of coverage) to also offer a silver and gold-level plan.


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[OKNancy]

1. I'd like this change, mainly because it has happened to me.

It's probably not that many people who run into this, but it really is an unfairness....

Husband is 63, we have a bronze plan and get a subsidy based on his income, my social security, and some draws from our personally funded IRA.
He got cancer... so in order to pay the deductible and all the other out of pocket expenses, we had to draw a lot money from our IRA.

SO.... not only do we pay tax on the IRA and of course lose our tiny retirement fund, but it raises our income level so we will be penalized when the year end accounting is done.

So I think they should make some adjustment for money spent on healthcare when totaling your income.

PS... and don't say you get a tax break for medical expenses. It isn't that much of a break!

[applegrove]

2. Vibes to your husband and you.

[Gary S]

3. The two most important fixes...

#1 fix: Fund the "risk corridor" obligations. 
#2 fix: drop the House Republicans' law suit challenging the Cost Sharing Reduction subsidies