Daniel Konicek Contributing Writer

Obamacare met with success in the state, thousands have signed up

On Jan. 1, the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, will come into effect with the purpose of ensuring that every American has health insurance. While implementation at the federal level has been troubled, Washington state has rolled out a working online health exchange, allowing thousands of people to sign up for new, more expansive health coverage.

For the uninitiated, Obamacare is a series of reforms and guidelines concerning health care coverage. The Affordable Care Act mandates that all citizens have health insurance coverage by encouraging businesses to provide health benefits and subsidizing those who have thus far been unable to afford care through an expansion of Medicaid. Afor most people, such as preventive services, maternity and newborn care, mental health and treatment of substance abuse disorders including behavioral health treatment, and pediatric services. Plans will not be allowed to have an annual or lifetime benefit limit as well as forbid price discrimination to those with pre-existing conditions.

In addition to these reforms, the Affordable Care Act has language allowing for states to create their own health care exchange, essentially a marketplace for people to shop for health plans, before defaulting to the federal one. While the federal exchange has not been consistently functional since launch, the state exchange is one of the most successful in the country, signing up over 9,000 thus far, many of them through expanded Medicaid services. Another 10,000 are reported to have submitted applications, but have yet to pay for benefits.

The deadline for having health coverage is March of next year, and citizens are encouraged to find a plan before then. Washington Apple Health, the expanded Medicaid services, will be available to people who have incomes below 138 percent of the federal poverty level. For single adults, this is about $15,864 a year, and for a family of four, this is about $32,500 a year. People that qualify may receive free or low-cost coverage through state Medicaid coverage.

For those still unsure of how the Affordable Care Act will affect them, the Washington State Board of Health has more information at www.coverageishere.wa.gov, and the health exchange can be found at www.wahealthplanfinder.gov.