Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Health Care Feds: No ACA mandate for those in coverage hole
Posted by David Ramsey on Wed, Jan 30, 2013 at 5:30 PM
The Department of Health and Human Services released clarifications today regarding exemptions from the healthcare law's individual mandate. The headline is that they're proposing a specific exemption for anyone who might fall in the coverage hole if states choose not to expand Medicaid. The Affordable Care Act already has exemptions for anyone that can't afford coverage built in to the law so in practice anyone under 100 percent of the federal poverty level would be exempt anyways.
Though it's redundant, it doesn't hurt to be crystal clear. This ensures that we won't end up with a nightmare scenario of a low-income person getting hit with a penalty under the mandate despite having no Medicaid eligibility or subsidies.
That said, without expansion, we will still have the "upside down" situation of folks between 100 and 400 FPL getting government subsidies, while most people under 100 FPL are left out in the cold.
Speaking of Medicaid Expansion
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May 2, 2013It took a group of clever and obstinate young Republican legislators who refused to go along with Medicaid expansion but weren't ready to close the door on other ideas. They helped force a crafty veteran Democratic governor who was eager to go forward with expansion to consider alternative approaches. Throw in tireless and creative state health officials who happened to have a cozy relationship with their federal It took a group of clever and obstinate young Republican legislators who refused to go along with Medicaid expansion but weren’t ready to close the door on other ideas. They helped force a crafty veteran Democratic governor who was eager to go forward with expansion to consider alternative approaches. Throw in tireless and creative state health officials who happened to have a cozy relationship with their federal counterparts. Probably some luck. And, among everyone involved, it took a slightly crazy, seemingly unjustified optimism that somehow a solution was possible. /more/
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ICYMI: Challenge planned on Obamacare laws; surprise, open carry may be legal in Arkansas
April 24, 2013Things you might have missed if you don't carefully peruse the open lines: * AND YOU SAY YOU THOUGHT THE LEGISLATURE DEFEATED OPEN CARRY: Thanks to Theodosius for pointing me to Act 746, by Rep. Denny Altes (a tipoff to craziness for sure) and others such as Bullet Bob Ballinger. /more/
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Dumas: Obamacare covered a sorry legislative record
April 23, 2013Ernie Dumas writes this week that the 2013 legislature's approval of Obamacare, against long odds, made up for a multitude of sins. /more/
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April 20, 2013Saturday night's all right for fighting isn't it. The open line commences with: * REPUBLICAN SCHISM: Well. /more/
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The Nate Bell's Itchy Twitter Fingers Edition
April 19, 2013The passage of Medicaid expansion and the final days of the Arkansas General Assembly, Nate Bell on Twitter, Mike Ross’s moderate message and Mark Pryor’s gun votes — all covered on this week's edition. /more/
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Medicaid expansion: Two views
April 18, 2013The legislative vote to avail Arkansas of Obamacare Medicaid expansion money. Good or bad? /more/
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Obamacare rules
April 18, 2013At press time, a Senate vote was still up in the air, but the thinking was that senators would join the House in its momentous approval Tuesday of Medicaid expansion by a 77-23 vote. /more/
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'Private option' Medicaid expansion bill passes Arkansas Senate, on to governor
April 17, 2013The Arkansas Senate is expected to take up the appropriation for the "private option" bill this morning, with a super-majority needed to accept the federal money to enact the plan. /more/
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