Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/187653
Voices How do you get your health insurance today, and will that change next year with the Affordable Care Act implementation? "I get it through my company, but I use the VA. The VA covers everybody." George Shrout Mountain View, Ark. Company driver, Drive Mount "I have it through my wife, who is a schoolteacher. I'm pretty sure it's going to change with Obamacare. We all hate Obamacare." Kevin Alford Covington, Ga., Company driver, Crane Transport "I have an individual plan. I hope it doesn't change. I pay too much as it is. Obamacare isn't going to cover everything." April Rash Dayton, Ohio, Owner-operator, leased to RGR Transport "My wife and I pay on our own. We received a letter from the insurance company saying that we may have to pay more [after Obamacare is enacted]. They say that you won't be able to get Obamacare if you have a pending issue with the IRS. A lot of owner-operators have issues with the IRS." Benjamin Majano Tampa, Fla., Owner-operator, independent PULSE Insurance choices S ince Oct. 1, million of Americans have been checking out health insurance offerings through the state or federal exchanges created in response to the Affordable Care Act. Indeed, there's plenty to check. There are four levels (bronze, silver, gold, platinum) of coverage. There are tax credits based on income and other factors. Costs are all over the board. For owner-operators in certain situations, Obamacare will solve some health care financing problems. It also creates an unprecedented health care financing problem – fines – for those who want no part of health insurance. Some of the clients of owner-operator financial services provider ATBS will find the ACA policies to be "something they can actually afford, with the subsidies they could qualify for," says Andy Erwin, ATBS tax manager. A key factor will be that "they can't be penalized for pre-existing conditions," he says. "For guys with sleep apnea, high blood pressure, it may have been impossible to buy insurance before." Premiums vary widely by plan level, family size, age, income-based tax credits and, to a bizarre degree, where you live. Assume a family of four with household income of $50,000. Using the tax credit, the cheapest (bronze) plan's premium would be $26 a month in Dallas-Fort Worth, $126 in Orlando and $209 in Pittsburgh, reports the Associated Press. Most owner-operators will not find anything close to $26 a month. As Erwin notes, the average age of ATBS clients is 55. Their smoking rate is well above average, and smokers automatically pay a higher premium. Many owner-operators who lack health insurance are opting not to participate and pay the fine. However, "It becomes a different decision every year as it goes up," Erwin says. See the chart on page 4 for the kind of money we're talking about – and more alarming, how much it escalates by 2016. In addition to what you see here and on The health plan exchanges are run by the states or, in states that opted out of running their own exchange, the federal government. page 4, Overdrive Senior Editor Todd Dills will report on the program in detail next month. In the meantime, if you don't have a qualified health plan, it's worth checking Healthcare. gov. Your answers on simple questions will help you determine your basic options depending on your state of residence, income and other factors. Another helpful source is the Kaiser Family Foundation site, kff.org. It has a subsidy calculator and presents lots of information clearly. Many people would rather endure a dentist's drill without Novocain than wrangle through insurance plan comparisons or submit to a government that makes you pay for what it thinks is good for you. Whatever your stance, Obamacare doesn't appear to be going away. If you're uninsured, learn the ropes and make an informed choice. By Max Heine Editorial director mheine@randallreilly.com 6 | Overdrive | October 2013 Voices_1013.indd 6 9/30/13 3:47 PM