Have you finished your holiday shopping? Did you find something special for each person you hold dear? What about for you?
When we focus on giving — of our time and with presents — it’s easy to forget about getting ourselves an important item. We seldom think about our own healthcare coverage during the holidays. This is something Social Security and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) aim to change.
Of course, you may be well now, but at one point or another, you’ll need healthcare coverage, if you become ill or have an accident. You may not like to think about it but an illness or disability can happen to you. Being prepared — by having coverage — is a major part of a healthier future. The ACA makes it easy to #GetCovered and to find affordable plans and preventive care.
We serve as a proud ACA education and referral partner. We believe that access to quality healthcare has a positive effect on health outcomes. Some people who apply for Social Security disability benefits may not have access to healthcare, which negatively affects their health and well-being. A good healthcare plan can provide you with the medical care you need, until we make a decision on your disability claim. The good news is you can be considered for healthcare coverage even if you have a pre-existing condition. Please don’t wait! Apply for health coverage now and get the care you need. I encourage you to visit healthcare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596 for more information.
Giving selflessly is part of the holiday season. Don’t forget . . . that includes you, too. If you need coverage, give yourself the gift of quality, affordable, healthcare for the holidays, and beyond. ACA Open enrollment ends January 31.
Yes, socialized healthcare is so wonderful! I was just told this morning by a parent that her grown son who is visiting her spent six hours straight on the healthcare.gov website trying to get health insurance. He finally gave up after he found the cost. was over $500 per month for a healthy young man. He will now be subject to the penalty. My own insurance almost doubled this year. Can you please explain to me how this is helping our country?
My good health insurance was cancelled by obamacare. I was paying 307 per month. Replacement policy offered for less insurance: 837. Count me in as another without health insurance. Great huh?
That’s not socialized health care. Socialized health care is what Austria, Germany, France, and the UK have. Whether it’s single-payer or another form it’s when everyone has basic health care paid for through taxes.
Not a system of paying for health care where people can still end up filing for “medical bankruptcy” (even if they have Medicare coverage) because of high deductibles, co-pays, and uncovered expenses (like rehab), and where government agencies like Medicare CANNOT negotiate drug prices and HEALTH INSURERS wrote most of the enabling legislation as happened with the ACA.
You want change? Then join one of the groups fighting for single payer.
single care
I need an application to fill out so that I can get some help with the cost of some of my prescription drugs. The MEDICARE. gov relates to the paragraph “No current prescription drug coverage financial help”. also states “you can alpply for Extra Help forExtra Help by filling out and mailing an application to Social Security. I need that application, please.
PLEASE SEND ME THE FORMS TO GET SOME HELP WITH MY PRESCRIPTIONS
Hi Loretta, you can complete Social Security’s Application for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs (SSA-1020) online. You can also call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to apply over the phone or to request an application or apply at your local Social Security office.
I get extra help ONE dollar a month. Now I get $60 dollars less a month.
As an American citizen residing abroad, do I qualify for medical insurance under the Affordable Care Act?
Hi Robert, please visit HealthCare.gov for more information.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce issued the following statement on the Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act, H.R. 3762, which passed the House today by a vote of 240-189:
“Obamacare continues to fail the American people. From increasing costs of healthcare for families, limiting patients’ options, and reducing overall employment around the nation – Obamacare is not in the best interest of New Mexican families. Unfortunately, despite the demands of the American people and the continued efforts of the House, the Senate and President have chosen not to act and replace this harmful law.
“So far this year, New Mexicans have been hit with increased penalties, Blue Cross Blue Shield fully exited New Mexico, and the state exchange removed all PPO plans entirely. In short, New Mexicans are facing higher costs, fewer options, and less service. Obamacare continues to betray Americans nationwide, but especially those on fixed incomes — dependent on quality care at an affordable price.
“By no means does this bill end the fight to replace Obamacare, or provide New Mexicans with an affordable and effective healthcare system, but it is a step in the right direction. By voting for this bill today, the House has voted to end the most egregious policies implemented within Obamacare. From the individual and employer mandates, to the ‘Cadillac tax’ – the provisions the House repealed in this bill will instantly help New Mexicans. Relief from these mandates and taxes will provide businesses with the certainty and confidence to grow again, create jobs, and allow families to choose health plans that best fit their needs regardless of coverage or size.”
Had Congress REGULATED the health insurance industry, we wouldn’t be having these issues. But your party of NO prevented that, which would have taken care of all of our ACA issues. It isn’t ACA itself, and it surely isn’t Obama. Place the blame where the blame is due.
The average American person/family is sick and tired of politics ruining our quality of life, turning it into a LACKof quality of life. Your answer is typical of spending energy, resources and time on pointing fingers & blaming each other rather than working towards serving the public interest. You, and those politicians like you, make way more money & gave way more options & benifits than the vast majority of the people you have sworn to serve but fail to do so at every step. It is like you (the collective, not the individual ) have stopped seeing us as people, just rows&clomns on a spread sheet. Let me ask you, how much of an increase in assets did you receive over the past several years? As a disabled veteran, I can tell you that my increase in assets (money, benifits, etc) are limited to COLA increases but my cost continue to go up 5-10 times the COLA. Gas prices may have been somewhat stable but certainly not water, electric, and other utilities. Just recently, the water & electric companies have gotten themselves increases of 14 & 16% to start in 2016. Why? Because the public has done to good conserving water and power use AT THE COMPANIES REQUEST! Now we are penalized because they can’t meet their budget. Yet those senior executives get increased bonus/Benifit packages. I do not begrudge anyone getting what they have EARNED let’s be fair and have the ability to choose for ourselves. Is not America a democratic republic that is Of the PEOPLE, for the PEOPLE and by the PEOPLE? The government is trying socialistic practices by installing this forced healthcare system without individuals voting. Something this big should’ve been voted on by individuals since it impacts almost every individual. I have read some excellent replies from people on both sides of the argument but, as most of us have learned, there are always three sides of each story/argument. Your side, my side, and what actually happened, or in this case, what can be in the best interest of the public. Americans have never liked to be forced into something without having a voice in the matter. I think that is at the crux of most of the distress, along with higher costs and fewer choices. I apologize for the length of my reply but this pointing political fingers every time something comes up is a load of crap. If the two parties (funny I thought we had more) and 3 branches of government can’t play together then we, the PEOPLE, should fire them and hire new people to represent us. If they act like kids, they should be treated as kids!
I do receive this December 2015 from Medicare, $104.90, every month now. The money from Medicare comes off my Social Security money. I hope that in April 2016 the money from Berlin/Germany comes to Social Security because I was borne and raised and worked in Germany. I will receive their “pension” over $200.00 because their money is now Euro. The money of the “pension” is different every month because of the Euro.
Thank you!
Christa A. Lemons
I’m guessing the #1 reason people don’t have healthcare insurance is because they cannot afford the monthly premiums. Since they don’t have the money for coverage, they must find a way to pay the penalty – right? How sad is that? The government should feel very proud of itself for finding a way to take addition money from those who are already scraping to put food on the table and those who are unemployed. Why don’t employers have to pay a penalty if they fail to provide coverage to their employees?
Do something about it. Write your Congresspeople, join a group (you may need to do little more then join, sign petitions, etc) that wants to change this system.
It’s Congress that passed the ACA, the prez and Congress that first refused to pass a single payer system years ago (Nixon pushed for a national health care system) and that has kowtowed to the AMA, health insurers, BigPharma (why do you think Medicare can’t negotiate drug prices?), for at least 30 years. Passage of the TPP will make matters, and the position of most Americans (not the upper 5% in income/assets) far worse.
If people continue to blame each other and do nothing, well, BigPharma, BigMed (hospital chains, etc) will continue to lobby successfully.
The employer does have to pay a penalty if they don’t offer coverage if they have 50 or more employees. So the ACA is double dipping in some cases.
Obama is not the cause of every greif, IT is a fuddel regardless the structure of comerance & greed of humans Is the cause it isn’t pleasant to receive the process of the balance in of former years.avoid the hope chatter to cover the their greed base insecurances. Profit won’t be unless that quit signing off of paying social security taxes, as well the write it off crew 3% was given to those of cancer
If Obamacare is soooooo…. wonderful, why aren’t our governmental body (Congress, President and staff) required to use it? Let them deal with what the rest of our citizens have to deal with!
I agree. Why do the Congressmen have their own entitlements! If this is good enough for us why not them?
They get the insurance because they are special, and exist in a different class than most of the rest us. I say trash Obama Care and give everyone medicare.
President Obama and his family should have Obamacare, pay the premiums AND be required to USE it…no special favors!
My daughter(age 55) was turned down for disability,and disallowed for Obamacare because of no income.She is elgible for Medicaid,but no providers.Therefore she is enrolled in BLUE at$869.00 monthly.What a deal!!!! I am retired military and receive disability fromVA,and social security.No increase in anything again this year,except the cost of everythingDefinetly looking forward to the next election.
I’m a retired teacher struggling to keep two daughters on my insurance as they continue to pursue their education while working at low wage jobs. My income on paper for one retiree looks good and so I pay the maximum for my Medicare policy. (Thanks SS for not increasing it in 2016) My work-related policy for my girls almost doubled for 2016 and I pay increasing premiums for supplementary Medicare insurance and dental insurance and long-term care premiums as well. Add on auto, home owner and life insurance, it works out that half my monthly income goes to insurance payments. Meanwhile my 30 year old son has no insurance because his low wage job does not provide benefits and he can’t afford policies on the ACA website..
Because of chronic diseases I use my healthcare insurance, I could not be without it when I was laid off some years back. Working temp,. I was paying nearly $900 a month (and about 5,000 a year out of pocket on things not covered.) I had also had a nearly 50% reduction in pay and was having a very hard time. When the ACA came along it was a huge help!! My plan was better than any commercial insurance I had previously had through an employer (at least since 1990 or so.) Once I was re-employed (and making a marginally better salary) the unsubsidized cost of the ACA plan would have been more than that available through my employer. The reason that people are now penalized for not carrying insurance is that, when the unemployed person has a catastrophic healthcare cost, the rest of us pay for it. This is plain and simple; why do people not understand this? we are not a society that chooses to put uninsured people who have cancer, heart surgery, accidents, on the curb with the trash (although it seems many individuals might favor that, as a whole Americans do not). We shoulder the cost (through Medicaid and other programs). This is what it means to be a responsible society. Hospitals write off up to 25% of their billing because of uncollectable debt. If this is reduced, hospital costs SHOULD go down… but that will need to be enforced, and the republican party, by and large, has not wanted to hold organizations or businesses accountable. Then they blame the democratic party when other means have to be found to cover those costs.
finally a sane person…I worked the past 40 years being forced to use whatever plan my employers picked. Every year my rates went up and certain conditions were not covered.Obamacare cut my costs by 70% and was better in every way.Of course, I made less than $40,000 a year. I really don,t care that people making 3 times as much as I do have to pay more.
I’ll take any health insurance policy that Congress dishes out, as long as Congress takes it to. A separate policy for the policy makers? How is this fair?
My healthcare is definitely Worse! with Medicare! after having employment healthcare all my working life. ;-(
But Christ is the Reason for the Season, so …
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
SSA–your field offices are too crowded enough now to waste time to “serve as a proud ACA education and referral partner”.
In reading these posts I see there is a lot of mis information out there. For one thing every member of congress is required to use the ACA as their health insurance. I agree the ACA has a lot of room for improvedment but do we want to get rid of it so we again have a country where only the halves have health insurance and the haves not do not. It takes all of congress to work together to get it done and under the current climate, it’s not going to happen.
Wow , very care healthcare , in holiday . Its great , i Hope my country can do that too . so i will not worry to enjoy my holiday
my question for anyone out there in cyber land is: I collect SS and I still work part time. I am a vet so I have limited healthcare through VA and I have employer provided health ins. so…when I turn 65 next year and qualify for medicare will I still have to pay for parts of medicare out of my social security check? still paying medicare out of my paycheck so itsnt that Double-dipping on me?
You do not have to apply for Part B of Medicare as long as you are covered in an emplyer group health plan as an active employee. You will be enrolled automatically in Medicare Part A hospital insurance in the month you turn 65, because you are already enrolled for monthly Retirement benefits, and will not have to make any premium payments for Part A.
When you stop working or are no longer covered under your employer health plan (or your spouse’s if she remains actively employed), you would apply for Medicare Part B, and would have to submit a form completed by your employer to verify that you had continous coverage under their plan from age 65. Without such proof, you will have to wait until the first three months at the beginning of the next calendar year to apply, coverage would not start until July of that year, and you would be charged an additional 10% penalty on all future Medicare premiums for each 12-.month period that you delayed paying for coverage.
Also, the Medicare tax on wages applies whether or not you enroll for coverage. People who work and apply for Part B must also pay the premium for that coverage.
Hi Brenda, first of all we thank you for serving our country. Generally, if you are working and have coverage under a group health plan based on that employment, you don’t need Medicare part B until you stop working or drop your health care coverage. Also, if you have coverage under a program from the Department of Defense, your health benefits may change or end when you become eligible for Medicare.
In your case, we recommend that you contact the Department of Defense or a military health benefits advisor for information on whether you need to be enrolled in any part of Medicare. If you continue to work, you should also reach out to your personnel office, health benefits advisor, or health plan representative to see what’s best for you.
To learn more and see how Medicare is funded, please read our publication “Medicare”.
My premium costs went up again this year. I don’t understand why our health care system is dependent on personal income. I spent $6000.00+ on my health care last year after being diagnosed with Lyme. I also I spent $2500 towards my deductible. I got very little help out of my health insurance plan, I even forgot I had an insurance card because I never needed it for my practitioners because they don’t take insurance for Lyme treatment. AND I paid insurance premium each month which was a waste of money since it didn’t cover me getting healthy, it didn’t cover any of my treatments, just other stuff like a physical, big deal since the MD was the one that MISSED the Lyme diagnosis.
I very much dislike this system. I don’t want to call it a health care system because it is a money making machine that is interested in true recovery and health of individuals. I am so sad that money runs this system and not the desire for people to get what they need for medical care when they are in ill.
President Obama is ruining this country from within. Obama care is a complete failure for middle to upper lower class people. Only the extreme poor benefit. If We can’t repeal Obama care at least STOP the fines. Why should free people be forced to do this.
Obviously obama does Not want us to be free – Everything can be related to healthcare and controlled!
I noticed a Big Change when I went from an employer insurance to Medicare, as I retired 2+ years ago – fewer doctors, more crowded schedules, less time with me, fewer tests, etc.
‘obama(doesn’t)care’ guts Medicare!
Private markets are Much Better than Government!! ;-(
A person in this country who has worked little to none and can’t anymore can get social security disability before someone who has worked 30 or 40 years and can’t anymore. Why is that?
Hello,
This Is my Second Replay In a last few months.Im retired after 34 years of Work.Still work,Few times a month.being alone,want to keep Hose.It is a Struggle at Times.Health issues.payed all my dues,taxes,insurances,
Medicare,SS.working,stll paying SS,medicare.Even though,i won’t receive almost none Back in SS increase.Where is My money going?
Second;I know Family,recently immigrated,Husband ^ years,Wife3 years in The USA.On Medicaid,Free Apartment$600 month,paing $80.water paid.elecricity,food.Free Dental Eye Care.Plus Both Working,some part time Jobs.Wher is this camping from?How does this compare to Retired People ,With lower Social Security,Pensions?People Work all their Life Here.Pay their Dues.At the end,Cant compare with those on Medicaid.where everything is Free,Donated,paid by The Government .What kind of logic,respect is this Toword,hard ,honest Working Citizen Of Our Country?It truly makes me Unequal,Less respected,and undeserving.I believe there are many more feeling the Pain,As i do.My Honest Question is;Is our Government ,SS,Consider,this issues,seriously at all?Please Respond! thank You!
My sister in law is 63 she is disabled but doesn’t qualify for social security disability. Her income is only $700. Month. ACA wants $650 a month to insure her. We can’t get her on Medicaid because she can’t afford to go to a doctor to get certified disabled. She will now have to pay the penalty which is her entire monthly income. How is this helping her?
If I get her enrolled in the local free clinic will that exempt her from the penalty?
Thanks for your question Paula. Consumers who need additional information or have questions should contact the Marketplace Consumer Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 / TTY: 1-855-889-4325. The Marketplace Consumer Call Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also visit Healthcare.gov for general information.
Wondering about 1095-b, Ian continuing paying my disable Medicare A&B, while I live in Canada right now, I don’t work, Ian disabled, I don’t file American taxes, what do I do with 1095-b form
Hi Nancy, please visit the IRS web page “Understanding Your Form 1095-B” for more information.
Congratulations to the functionary of the Social Security Administration who received the prize by the White House for her efforts in the social communication with the customers of Social Security
around our country.
Thanks.
“La distruzione dei partiti conduce al&oâ™aut€ritarismol#8221;. A me pare che i più beceri autoritarismi del ’900 siano proprio venuti dall’avanzata di alcuni partiti: fascista e nazista. Se consideriamo pure quello comunista in Russia o in Cina…. Fabio Chiusi, sarai mica un altro di quelli che cambia i fatti per farli collimare con le tue tesi ? : )
These comments show how important it is to be educated about this issue. But no one should be without healthcare cover – it is simply not right to be without some form of coverage, and it is possible to find affordable options even when they may not be in front of you. Sometimes it takes some research to get the best solution for your needs.