It’s heeere!  After years of rancorous debate and endless analysis, the Affordable Care Act, also know as Obamacare, takes effect this week with implementation of the ‘Individual Mandate’ requiring most Americans to buy health insurance and the opening of exchanges designed to facilitate that rule.

Here’s what you need to know about this requirement and the implementation process.

The Health Insurance Exchange (HIX) opens on October 1^st for uninsured individuals who are not eligible for Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP.  This group would include someone who is ready to retire, has the savings to do so, but isn’t yet eligible for Medicare.

Open enrollment will continue until March 31^st, 2014.  If you are not enrolled by that date you will not be able to get health coverage through the Exchange until the next enrollment period.  If you are not insured by January 1^st, 2014, or obtain an exemption based on a life change, you will be penalized. 

For the first year, that the penalty is $95/adult and $47.50/child or 1 percent of the family income, whichever is greater.  Over time, this fee will continue to increase and by 2016 the penalty will be up to $695/adult and $347/child or 2.5 percent of the family income.

The exchanges are essentially a marketplace designed to allow individuals to shop for insurance as they would for any other product.  Side-by-side cost and benefit comparisons of the different tiered plans – bronze, silver, gold, platinum -- will be displayed on the healthcare exchange. The lower premium plans will of course have the highest deductibles, fewer benefits and more out of pocket costs. 

On average, the bronze plan covers about 60% of medical costs, which means you will pay for 40% out-of-pocket.  The silver plan will cover about 70% of medical costs, the gold plan covers about 80% and platinum will cover 90%.   There is also a high-deductible “catastrophic plan” available to people under 30.

The average Georgia premium for bronze will be $265 and for silver it will be $304.  The average Obamacare subsidy for an individual age 26-35 with a bronze or silver plan will be $316/month.  A family of four in Atlanta with an income of $50,000/year will be able to buy the bronze plan for $138/month.  A 27-year-old in Atlanta who makes $25,000/year will pay $103/month for bronze or $145 for silver. 

 Plans sold on the exchange must include the following:

No surprise, this huge new government program is like catnip to scammers and con men.  Be careful as you navigate the system.  The Department of Health and Human Services has a large team of navigators trained to help consumers understand the new reform and operate free of charge.  If someone claims to be a navigator and is charging you money for their help, it’s a scam.  Never give your social security number of any other personal info to someone who calls claiming to be with the Obamacare program.

For more information on this topic, visit, http://www.yourwealth.com/newsroom-124/cia-in-the-press.html