10-02-2013, 03:14 AM
They mystery of this thread is that before the ACA it was essentially impossible to buy individual health insurance as a private individual for a reasonable cost. Certainly not at a poverty level income. So whatever coverage kd is talking about was either provided in large measure by an employer (as a wage), or was a high deductible plan, or was set up in some other way that fails the ACA's "minimum essential coverage" standard. If average folks could have bought affordable insurance before, there would not have been this overwhelming need for reform of the entire marketplace.
Anyone medicaid eligible is not eligible for a subsidy, so if you reject Medicaid you would have to pay the full cost on the exchange, which would be a large portion of your income. There was no change for Medicaid for seniors on Medicare, so they still have asset tests and lower income eligibility levels.
I don't think it is possible to pay "extra" if you are on Medicaid. Medicaid prohibits balance billing as a condition of participation, so your medical providers cannot accept anything more than the Medicaid rate which must be considered payment in full. You could privately pay for non Medicaid participating providers.
Anyone medicaid eligible is not eligible for a subsidy, so if you reject Medicaid you would have to pay the full cost on the exchange, which would be a large portion of your income. There was no change for Medicaid for seniors on Medicare, so they still have asset tests and lower income eligibility levels.
I don't think it is possible to pay "extra" if you are on Medicaid. Medicaid prohibits balance billing as a condition of participation, so your medical providers cannot accept anything more than the Medicaid rate which must be considered payment in full. You could privately pay for non Medicaid participating providers.