Gabriela Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 What will happen? It doesn't seem like a quick fix to me. I mean, won't we still have to pay for Obamacare? Nuns don't pay taxes, do they? Can they just be covered anyway? Will the coverage be sufficient for any aspirant/postulant to just sign up and be covered to the house's satisfaction? Will it be cheaper than buying some other kind of coverage? I don't read news, so I don't know what all Obamacare entails. I do have my doubts that it will go through the way people are imagining it will. But that's another story. Let's not debate. Just thoughts on how this will impact entrance. If you've heard from sisters on this subject, please tell us what they said! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kayte Postle Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 I don't know much, but under the Affordable Healthcare Act (Obamacare) the basis is that all US citizens must carry health insurance. If you already have insurance, you don't have to worry or do anything. If you don't currently have insurance you have to find a provider within the next few months, or you will have to pay a penalty at the end of each year you do not carry health insurance ($95 to be exact). You can buy health insurance through private insurers (aka the old way) or you can buy it through the government private exchange marketplace (aka the new way). "The Marketplace" includes insurance plans in the Marketplace are offered by private companies. They cover the same core set of benefits called essential health benefits. No plan can turn you away or charge you more because you have an illness or medical condition. They must cover treatments for these conditions. (from the AHA website) Marketplace insurance plans should be cheaper than private plans. With most communities postulants/aspirants are already required to have health insurance (thats often what the dowry is for). I remember Dyna posting on her blog about how she had find and cover her health insurance for that first part of formation. In short the process is basically the same when trying to obtain health insurance for entrance. As for nuns or sisters paying taxes I'm not sure. I would think because of their vow of poverty it would be a no. As of right now, yes our tax dollars will go to Obamacare. The exemptions are for health insurance providers (not individual tax payers) that have conscious objects to requirements in AHA. However these exemptions are very few and do not include Catholic/Christian/Jewish/Muslim/etc. schools, hospitals, businesses, or religious orders that directly provide health insurance to its students/employees. That's why many of these bodies are rightly suing the government, because they cannot morally comply with requirements in the Bill. The sticky part gets to when these bodies refuse to provide certain requirements, and the government fines them heavily for it. I haven't heard from any communities about how they are handling the AHA since it kicked in. Again, I'm no expert, so if I misspoke about anything please correct me. :) It's all very confusing, but I hope I helped to answer some of your questions. The AHA website does answer a lot of questions. (https://www.healthcare.gov/) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissylou Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 I know that one of my nun friends, who has a serious chronic disease, recently posted this on Facebook: I just found out that with the new insurance opportunities, my almost $2000 a month premium (because of pre-existing condition of MS) can be cut in half with the same benefit coverage. I wept. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissylou Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 I've been thinking for a while that the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) could be a big help to the would-be postulants trying to save up money for "dowries" (truly, can we come up with a better word than that?) to cover a few years of health insurance. I would think the subsidies involved would significantly lower (not eliminate) that bill. But I'm not sure of the details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aya Sophia Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Question is, how does one actually apply for the subsidy? Do you know, KrissyLou, how your nun friend did it? I'm consider cancelling my insurance altogether if I can't get sorted out with the subsidy. For me, cancelling insurance means being without ins for less then a year (with clothing and entrance into the novitiate, one goes on to the community's plan) but what about those who have to continue covering their own costs and can't get sorted out with a subsidy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kayte Postle Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 "Until March 31st, 2014 Americans making under 400% of the federal poverty level (FPL) can get a type of subsidy called advanced premium tax credits. Tax credits lower premium costs. Those making less than 250% FPL can get subsidies to lower out-of-pocket costs. Those making less than 138% FPL (in some States) may be eligible for Medicaid. Subsidies are only available through their State's health insurance marketplace. The best way to find out if you are eligible for a subsidy is to simply apply for your State's marketplace. Applying doesn't lock you in to buying health insurance, but it will give you an idea of your options." (taken from http://obamacarefacts.com/obamacare-subsidies.php) KrissyLou: I think it's possible that subsidies will help pre-postulants save, because when they are in postulancey they will be making less than the poverty rate and thus eligible for subsidies. Aya: You have to Apply to your state's marketplace to find out if you are available for a subsidy. (Here: https://www.healthcare.gov/) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotreDame Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 I don't have insurance, but need some. I wish I could check what my rates would be like you all are, but I just went to check on my state's site and the application portion is "down for maintenence" and the "compare rates" section of the site just isn't working. I'm currently unemployed. so the downside is that under the old system I'd have cheaper rates. The upside is that under the new system, as long as I'm unemployed I might get subsidies or be medicaid eligible. Hopefully I can check by the end of the week. I did read that these plans don't cross state lines, so I would wonder how that would affect people living one place and looking to move to a convent in a different state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIWW Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 (edited) I am an RN, and have a Monk friend who takes care of Insurance coverage for his community.Of course the elderly are covered by medicare. We might think of the ACA as a form of "medical care"for those who already do not have insurance or were unable to afford it until now. In some cases a community might do better financially, for them to go with ACA, because it is income based, and those below a certain income are eligible for a subsidy. It really depends on what a community has now and how that compares to what they can get in the open market. I know the Monastery where my friend works, are using one of the Blue Cross options, and it is nearly breaking them financially. Once it gets figured out, it could be a lifesaver for communities. Edited October 30, 2013 by TIWW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIWW Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 (edited) It is also a "Godsend" for those having pre-existing conditions, such as heart or lung disease, and many other chronic or long standing physical health issues. These and many more individuals could not even get insurance because of this. What a community will end up with, It depends on where you live. Each state has it's own exchanges, except of course for some Republican run states, where they are not offering it. ( many get huge sums of money from the big Insurance companies.} Hopefully some of these issues will be worked out in time, so anyone who wishes, may have health care. Edited October 30, 2013 by TIWW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie Villalovos Smith Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 From all that I have seen so far it will be great for some and not for others. The problem I see with ACA is the requirement of the insurance to include pregnancy, labor and delivery, birth control etc. I don't know how this can be rectified for our religious communities, but I hope that there is something out there to cover this issue.. Pax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sister Marie Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I don't know much, but under the Affordable Healthcare Act (Obamacare) the basis is that all US citizens must carry health insurance. If you already have insurance, yAs for nuns or sisters paying taxes I'm not sure. I would think because of their vow of poverty it would be a no. As of right now, yes our tax dollars will go to Obamacare. The exemptions are for health insurance providers (not individual tax payers) that have conscious objects to requirements in AHA. However these exemptions are very few and do not include Catholic/Christian/Jewish/Muslim/etc. schools, hospitals, businesses, or religious orders that directly provide health insurance to its students/employees. I don't have anything to add about the Affordable Healthcare Act but I wanted to clarify that sisters are required to pay taxes under the same conditions other citizens are required to pay. I am not an expert at all on anything financial, haha, but I did want to clarify that we are bound by the same laws as everyone else under normal conditions. The vow of poverty, for active sisters and income, means that we don't receive an income for ourselves personally, but it doesn't mean sisters are paid for their works. That pay goes to the community. Sisters who are active and work in a professional manner pay income taxes (although there is usually a sister who is in charge of the community money who does this for the individual sisters because they don't receive a pay check, the community does. The way this works out practically is different for each community though.) Property taxes are another issue. The only exceptions to regular tax rules would be in the case of non-profit organizations and their relationship with the congregation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aya Sophia Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Aya: You have to Apply to your state's marketplace to find out if you are available for a subsidy. (Here: https://www.healthcare.gov/) My state is one of those that will not have an "exchange" website. Looks as though I'm 100% dependent on healthcare.gov which, thus far, is unusable. I guess I'll just check back in in a month or so to see if anything is clearer. Thanks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kayte Postle Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 My state is one of those that will not have an "exchange" website. Looks as though I'm 100% dependent on healthcare.gov which, thus far, is unusable. I guess I'll just check back in in a month or so to see if anything is clearer. Thanks... Well that just stinks. Sorry, praying that you can get it all worked out. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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