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The Hidden Revelations in the Affordable Health Care Act

By Dan Weber

AMAC

Among the newest revelations is that subsidies for low and middle income families have ‘strings attached’ - 

English: Barack Obama signing the Patient Prot...English: Barack Obama signing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act at the White House Español: Barack Obama firmando la Ley de Protección al Paciente y Cuidado de Salud Asequible en la Casa Blanca (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

BOHEMIA, NY, Apr 5 – “Nancy Pelosi warned that there would be plenty

of surprises in the Affordable Care Act and she was right.  It’s almost as if we hear about new and unpleasant revelations each week,” according to Dan Weber, president of the Association of Mature American Citizens.

Among the newest disclosures is that the government subsidies Obamacare will provide starting in 2014 for those who need help buying private health coverage have strings attached, Weber warned.

He explained that the size of your subsidy, if you are eligible, is directly related to your income.  So, if you get a subsidy based on your previous year’s earnings and you get a raise or your spouse gets a new job and you wind up making more than anticipated, you’ll wind up having to pay back part of the subsidy you received.

“To add insult to injury, you will not receive the subsidy directly; the payment goes directly to your insurance provider.  But, the bill for any repayments required on your part will come directly out of your pocket at tax time.”

The Associated Press reported that a preliminary draft of the insurance subsidy application “runs 15 pages for a three-person family, but nowhere does it warn people that they may have to repay part of the subsidy if their income increases.”

The AP report quoted Rep. Charles Boustany, R-La., chairman of the House Ways and Means oversight subcommittee, who commented that: “It’s potentially going to come as a shock to individuals who meet that criteria where their income hits a point where they owe money back.  The fact is, with variations in income, people could end up owing money back and that will create consternation and problems for them.”

Obamacare called for the establishment of state insurance exchanges where users can choose a health care plan that suits them and the subsidies will be paid directly to the provider resulting in a discounted premium.

“Twenty-six states have decided not to establish these exchanges, so it is unclear how the subsidies will be administered and provided to individuals in those venues,” Weber said.

ABOUT AMAC
 The Association of Mature American Citizens [http://www.amac.us] is a vibrant, vital and conservative alternative to those organizations, such as AARP, that dominate the choices for mature Americans who want a say in the future of the nation.  Where those other organizations may boast of their power to set the agendas for their memberships, AMAC takes its marching orders from its members.  We act and speak on their behalf, protecting their interests, and offering a conservative insight on how to best solve the problems they face today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Daniel C. Weber founded the Association of Mature American Citizens in the summer of 2007. Dan Weber sees AMAC as a way to unite citizens to defend our American way of life. To enrich the lives of AMAC’s members, Weber has assembled a package of benefits and discounts for Americans 50+ that they can get nowhere else.

More Articles by Daniel C. Weber

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