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<br />CEIEBRR71 NG <br />i <br />y j -.~- -~-----=~- <br />~n 7tta Vbata ~1'.Arnaric~~r t~anues * 19,2~it7 <br />Health Reform Implementation FAOs <br />This Frequently Asked Questions document is intended to cover some of the basic elements of the health reform law, the <br />Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). This document is categorized by topic area and will be updated as <br />needed. Please note that some specific details of how provisions will be implemented will not be available until <br />regulations aze issued by govenunent agencies. For more information, please see additional resources available at <br />www.naco.org/healthreformim lep meet. Please submit any health reform implementation questions to <br />healthreforminfona,naco ore. <br />Health Insurance Coverage Changes <br />How does the health reform law expand health insurance coverage for individuals? <br />In 2014, all U.S. citizens and legal residents, with a few exceptions, will be required to have qualifying health insurance <br />coverage or they must pay a tax penalty. <br />Which individuals are exempt from the 2014 requirement to have health insurance coverage and will not be penalized? <br />There aze exemptions from the mandate to have health insurance coverage for the following individuals: 1) individuals <br />claiming financial hardship 2) individuals with religious objections 3) American Indians 4) individuals without coverage <br />for less than three months 5) undocumented immigrants 6) incazcerated individuals 7) individuals for whom the lowest <br />cost health plan exceeds 8 percent of their income 8) individuals with incomes below the tax filing threshold in 2009. <br />How will individuals be able to obtain health insurance coverage to meet the law's requirements? <br />Individuals can obtain coverage through their employer, Medicare, Medicaid, other federal programs such as veterans' <br />health Gaze, or by purchasing coverage through state-based health insurance exchanges, which are essentially regulated <br />insurance mazketplaces. Medicaid will be expanded in 2014 to include all non-Medicaze eligible individuals under age 65 <br />who have incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level (FPL), including adults without children. <br />How~many uninsured individuals are expected to gain health insurance coverage through the law's changes to the <br />health care system? <br />The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has estimated that an additional 32 million non-elderly individuals will have <br />health insurance coverage by 2019 through the state-based health insurance exchanges and the Medicaid expansion. <br />Before 2014, will individuals currently lacking health insurance be able to obtain coverage? <br />Yes, some currently uninsured individuals will be able to obtain coverage before 2014. In 2010, a temporary national <br />high-risk pool program will be established for individuals with pre-existing medical conditions so they can purchase <br />coverage. The temporary high-risk pool program offers eligible individuals coverage until 2014, when insurers will not <br />be permitted to deny coverage to any individual based on pre-existing health conditions, the state-based health insurance <br />exchanges are established and Medicaid coverage is expanded. (For more information, please see the temporary high-risk <br />pool section.) <br />1 <br /> <br />