The American states aren’t all in agreement when it comes to implementing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which the U.S. Supreme Court upheld at the end of June 2012. The health care legislation was implemented in March of 2010 by President Obama, but two of its biggest components don’t fully take effect until January of 2014.
One of these aspects is the creation by the states of health care exchanges. These will be non-profit groups or government-agency operated private markets where people can find affordable health insurance plans. The health care exchanges are designed to provide small businesses, individuals, and families with several certified health care options.
In theory, a health care exchange would be an ideal place for residents to find affordable Indiana individual health insurance. The federal government is expecting the states to create partnerships with the government or create health care exchanges. If a state doesn’t create an exchange then the residents will supposedly be able to access a federal health care exchange.
The health care reform also calls for Medicaid to be vastly expanded to help provide more services for low-income people and those who have certain disabilities. It’s been reported that families who earn up to 138 percent of the nation’s poverty rate will be provided with Medicaid.
According to the new law, if any of the states doesn’t expand their Medicaid programs they will be facing the loss of federal Medicaid funding. However, that provision was shot down by the Supreme Court which means states won’t lose out on funding if Medicaid programs aren’t expanded.
In Indiana, which sees approximately 14 per cent of the state’s population without health insurance, Governor Mitch Daniels, who is a Republican, said there hasn’t been a decision made on a healt care exchange. He said that more information is needed before the state can decide on a government-based exchange, such as how it will be funded and operated.
He said that expansion of Medicaid would see one in four residents or about 500,000 new people enroll in the program over the next 10 years and it would cost approximately $2 billion. Daniels said that a decision will likely be made regarding Medicaid expansion by the state’s next Legislature and governor.
In the meantime, Indiana individual health insurance can be bought from numerous health insurance providers in the state. If you’d like to find an affordable health plan and information on the choice of providers please contact us at Acceptable Answers by calling 1-888-355-7129 or visiting www.acceptableanswers.com.
Our licensed agents will be able to fill you in on all of the details of the new health reform laws as well as answer all of your questions regarding Indiana individual health insurance and an array of other insurance plans. We’ll evaluate your unique situation and recommend an insurance plan that fully suits your needs and budget.
