Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/269152
Logbook 100 | Overdrive | March 2014 ArkansasEquip_TN0112_PG065.indd 1 11/30/11 1:51 PM Text INFO to 205-289-3555 or visit www.ovdinfo.com Deadline near to avoid penalties for Obamacare March 31 marks the end of the first open-enroll- ment period for health insurance purchased through the state and federal health insurance exchanges set up by the Affordable Care Act. However, for coverage to start April 1 and avoid tax penalties assessed for not having coverage in this first year of ACA, you'll need to purchase a plan by March 15. There are two primary ways to shop for cover- age – doing it yourself, or working through your insurance company or insurance agent/broker. Preventive services are covered in all plans except those for catastrophic coverage; those low-cost plans kick in only after a high annual deductible is met. Any nonpreventive medical care costs would be split between the insurer and insured at coinsured percentage rates after any deductible is met. A big part of ACA is the standardization of plan levels, with variations. For example, there are PPOs and HMOs, the latter more limited in doctor options but generally cheaper. There also are plans with varying deductibles at each standard level. Many plans are set up to pair with a Health Savings Account for medical spending. Use of such a plan could be beneficial to overall premium costs if your household income is near the level at which you might qualify for premium reduction. The subsidy line is drawn at 400 percent of the federal poverty level; that's $45,960 for an individ- ual, $62,040 for a family of two, $78,120 for three and $94,200 for four. If your household modified adjusted gross income is below that level and no employer-based insurance is in reach, you qualify for reduced premiums. – Todd Dills FFE TRANSPORTATION won a lawsuit judgment after a Texas district court jury rejected the City of St. Jo's $3.5 million suit filed over a 2010 crash between an FFE truck and a police car whose driver was responding to a call. The city alleged the FFE driver failed to yield to an emergency vehicle, but the jury ruled the fleet was not at fault. Logbook_0314.indd 100 2/26/14 12:48 PM