We’re getting an idea of what health insurance may cost through the Affordable Care Act marketplace that opens in Texas next week. A report released today puts a dollar figure to ‘affordable’ health insurance.
The report by the federal Health and Human Services Department estimates the cost to marketplace customers. It does not reveal the actual policy prices. Consumers in Dallas-Fort Worth will be able to choose among 43 qualified health plans. And HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says prices are lower than originally expected by about 16 percent in Texas and nationwide.
The report cites examples for Dallas-Fort Worth:
- A 27 year old making $25,000 per year would pay $74 a month for the lowest cost, or “bronze” plan after figuring in subsidies or tax credits.
- The silver plan, second lowest, would double that to $145 a month with subsidy based on income.
- A subsidized “bronze” plan for a family of four with income of $50,000 a year would run $26 a month.
The subsidies are available to individuals and families with income from 100 percent of the federal poverty level to four times that. That means families of four with incomes between $24,000 and $94,000 a year would qualify for help with their insurance premiums.
Sebelius says when the online marketplace opens for enrollment October 1st, consumers will be able to enter income data and find out if they qualify for assistance to pay insurance premiums, and how much. And they can do side-by-side comparisons of policy prices, quality and benefits.
The Affordable Care Act requires most individuals to have health insurance in 2014 or pay a penalty.
