The Associated Press notes that shopping online for health insurance this fall may not be as easy as supporters have described since some tools may not be in place by Oct. 1. Meanwhile, Politico reports on warnings by Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, that consumers who misreport their income to qualify for insurance subsidies will have to pay them back the following year.
The Associated Press/Washington Post: Getting Health Coverage Through Obama Law Not As Easy As Shopping On Travelocity Or Amazon
You may have heard that shopping for health insurance under President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul will be like using Travelocity or Amazon. But many people will end up with something more mundane than online shopping, like a call to the help desk (7/26).
Politico: Michael Burgess Warns Of Obamacare Enrollment Fallout
Overeager Obamacare boosters could put the law’s first customers in a tight spot, a House Republican warned Thursday. The health law provides tax subsidies for people to purchase health insurance based on their projected income for the year. But if they earn more than projected, the law also requires them to return a portion of their subsidy. Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) says that if Obamacare enrollment advocates push too hard to hit their targets, they could persuade a lot of people to claim subsidies only to have to pay them back at the end of the year (Cheney, 7/25).
CNN Money: Who Loses Out Under Obamacare
When the state-based insurance exchanges open next year under Obamacare, many Americans should finally have access to affordable insurance. But millions of others will most likely be left out in the cold and remain uninsured. These folks — mainly low-income adults in the 21 states that aren’t expanding Medicaid — will not be eligible for either the long-standing government health insurance program for the poor, or for premium subsidies in the new exchanges (Luhby, 7/25).
