This doesn't look like the Health Connector? Did you actually apply and get denied for subsidies for 2023?

This is what the ACA has devolved into. I would try contacting someone at the HC and explain what your issue is and if they have any insight. Your employer does not offer health insurance? How many employees do they have? Are you self employed?

Chancing it with no health insurance is not a good idea. If none of these ideas work out well from others here, You’ll need to increase pay or cut back somewhere else in your spending.

My employer does not offer it. There are 4 of us including myself.

It's always weird to me that you have to buy a product to be a member of this state. Or pay a fine. Which you can't afford, cuz if you could. You'd get health insurance.

It's not. It's HSAinsurance.com. the cutoff for any subsidized plans is 300 percent of the federal poverty rate, which I am above.

I had the connector plans for years until I was kicked off once I passed that threshold.

I know. It's absurd.

The fine is half the cost of the cheapest plan, so in theory someone could afford the fine but not the plan. And the fine drops to $0 if your income is low enough.

I agree it's a pretty terrible system though, IMO the state should cover a basic plan for everyone, and if people want a fancier one, they can pay the difference.

You're misinformed about the subsidies and should really reapply.

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I talked to Free Healthcare for All when I lost my parent's health insurance since they were laid off. Told them their income and they said you would have to pay for it out of pocket. I asked if there was anything else I could do and he said "nope". So much for "free" healthcare. The overwhelming solution seems to "get a job" but its not sustainable

and it such a heavy fine. maybe offer better plans before penalizing people dang

Their income isn't relevant unless they claim you as a tax dependent.

I never said I wasn't tax dependent though. And anyway I was calling for everyone else because they're not tech savvy like that

Well yes, it's all income based. Free is for the lowest income populations.

I'm aware? I was saying we obviously couldn't afford it so I was disappointed

Back when they were the mafia, it was extortion and a federal crime.

Now that they're in politics, it's "state healthcare".

Nope, I’m 69 years old and won’t go to to the doctor because my deductible is so high I cannot afford it. My wife still works and her insurance sucks

$2,550.00 per month for a family plan

It's terrible if you're a dependent because your parent has to apply for you. But if they just... don't? I have no idea if you could get state insurance for yourself.

Im not talking about myself omfg. Im talking about my family. I dont have anything to do with this. Just helping my family out. I mentioned myself bc I was dependent on theirs as an option

Trust me I'm well aware that I'm on the low end of the range for private policies. Still doesn't mean it's okay.

I was more making the point, health Insurance in general sucks

It's insane. If the fine is $100 and the plan is $200 (just using easy numbers), than give me a plan that has half the coverage. Maybe a catastrophic only coverage plan. Give me something more than a way for the state to make money off those who didn't buy a product.

Why not go on Medicare? You are over 65 and are therefore eligible. If your wife's insurance sucks I'm not sure why you'd want to stay on it over going on Medicare.

This is the website for the actual Health Connector: https://www.mahix.org/individual/

You should really try applying on there. The ACA subsidies have been expanded to go up to 400% FPL so if you are under 400% FPL you can qualify.

More info on the cutoffs: https://www.kff.org/health-reform/issue-brief/explaining-health-care-reform-questions-about-health-insurance-subsidies/

Oh okay, sorry about that. Definitely misread that.

The way I dealt with this problem was to job hop to a job with better pay and benefits.

You can easily get around the fine by checking the religious exemption box. That’s what I and plenty of other people did.

If you decide to forego insurance, check the religious exemption box to avoid that silly fine

Because her insurance is still a hell of a lot less expensive than Medicare with the supplemental.

You can still pay market price for health connector insurance. There are some shitty plans for sub $300/month

Hey, I’m in the same boat as you. Definitely CALL mass health connector. They will certainly have better pricing for you.

I believe that's what the cheapest option usually is. As for making money, the fines go towards the subsidized plans for lower income. So the state's not exactly making money off of it, but they're still basically taking money from poor people to pay other poor people.

Better find a higher paying job, or pick up more hours.

Not helpful I know - I’m just really frustrated we can’t get behind universal care in this country.

Maybe CA, MA and a few other states can start to fun a public option for its residents. MA Health blown up and available to everyone.

The fine has to be large enough to compel you to buy the insurance. If it was a token fine, you'd just blow it off.

yeah it's fucked that the capitalists have tied healthcare to employment.

Compel? Or push you to do something by harming you financially?

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I sent through the same thing about 5 years ago, too much income for subsidized but too little to afford any plans and pay bills. I was uninsured for a few years and in that time went through Healthcare for the homeless for necessary treatment. They were very helpful. Hope things get better for you.

Compelling is pushing someone to do something. They don't want uninsured people because when they have accidents or whatever and end up in hospitals it costs everyone else.

This is the way.

The health connector also sells unsubsidized plans.

What remarkable advice

Isnt it though?

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