Headline above the fold on page one in today's Arizona Republic:
Arizonans’ costs low under new health law
I have to give kudos to the Republic for its coverage of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) here in Arizona. This Sunday, they will have a separate newspaper section on Obamacare that should help folks as they prepare for the roll-out on October 1. More below the squiggly.
The front page story starts off:
The federal government released data Wednesday that show Arizonans will be able to choose from a robust menu of health-insurance plans, with rates that are among the lowest in the nation
Indeed, it turns out that we will have eight insurers offering 111 plans within the exchange. And our premiums are among the lowest in the nation: only four other states have less expensive "lowest-cost middle-range silver" plans than we do. I think the exchange is going to be a wildly popular success here in Arizona and the beauty of it is our finger-wagging Governor, Jan Brewer, and the rest of her right wing wacko party will get no credit for it as they refused to set up a state exchange thereby forcing default to the federal one. BTW, I know some question the use of the term Obamacare but if, as I believe, it's going to be a success here in conservative Arizona, I relish rubbing wingnuts' noses in the fact that it is President Obama's legacy achievement!
Fortunately, Brewer went against her fellow Rethugs and accepted the Medicaid expansion here. Between the Medicaid expansion and the new exchange, nearly one million uninsured Arizonans will be eligible for low cost healthcare coverage.
I, myself, have had an individual policy for over 15 years and now that I'm 62, I'm truly paying through the nose for it. In fact the latest premium hike was 20% to nearly $700/mo. Like virtually everyone my age, I have some kind of pre-existing condition so I've been kind of locked into my plan. My only option over the years has been to switch to a higher deductible (stands at $3000 today.) I'm really looking forward to seeing what the exchange has to offer. Since I'm semi-retired with an income below the 400% of poverty threshold, I expect to see some premium offset through a tax credit.
Anyone else looking forward to Tuesday as much as I am?!