Wait until at least Sept. 1 to apply for coverage

Many of us who’ve been working to help Alaskans get health coverage over the last couple of years are doing the happy dance that Alaska is now the 30th state to accept Medicaid Expansion under the Affordable Care Act. This means that many people who were previously ineligible for Medicaid will be able to get coverage after Sept.1.

This includes many people whose incomes fall below the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) for Alaska. That would be below $14,580 for a single person, $19,660 for a married couple or family of two, $24,740 for a family of three, $29,820 for a family of four, etc.

But what many people don’t realize is this also will include those whose incomes range between 100 percent of the FPL to 138 percent above the FPL. That would be up to about $20,120 for a single person, $27,130 for a family of two, $34,141 for a family of three, and $41,151 for a family of four. Many of these folks, who had no other affordable offers of insurance, are most likely currently covered under the ACA with the help of Advanced Premium Tax Credits. So at some point, those people will need to cancel their ACA policies and get on Medicaid. More information will be provided on this process soon.

The latest word from authorities at Alaska Public Assistance is for everyone who thinks they now might qualify for Medicaid to wait until it becomes effective on Sept. 1 and either apply online through the state’s My Alaska website at 1.usa.gov/1gc51lX, through the state’s Alaska Department of Health and Social Services website at 1.usa.gov/1MP6EzQ, or by visiting a local Public Assistance office to fill out an application. As Sept. 1 approaches, there should be more resources and information about applying.

Authorities caution residents to be patient and not jump the gun by applying before Sept.1, because the system won’t be set up yet and their applications won’t be recognized or processed at that point. Applying before Sept. 1 will not put their applications “at the front of the line,” and could even make it more difficult to process theirs when Sept. 1 rolls around.

Medicaid officials also caution against submitting more than one Medicaid application. This will likely only slow down acceptance. The state will be hiring more temporary, long-term staff members to help with the rush of new Medicaid applications, but patience is requested as we all navigate this new world of health coverage.

As always, I will be on hand at Mat-Su Health Services to answer questions to the best of my ability and continue to help Valley residents apply for coverage under the ACA if their incomes and circumstances qualify them for that. I am currently helping an average of 10 residents per month enroll in either Moda Health or Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield policies with ACA tax credits during this Special Enrollment Period. Give me a call at 352-3225 if you want to find out if you qualify for that.

The next Open Enrollment for ACA coverage is Nov. 1 to Jan. 31. Those above 138 percent FPL who want their ACA policies to continue next year should actively re-enroll through their Marketplace account on healthcare.gov during the first month of Open Enrollment to prevent the insurance company from “auto-renewing” them at a lower tax credit and higher premium.

K.T. (Kate) McKee is a Certified Application Counselor for the Affordable Care Act at Mat-Su Health Services, Inc. Her ACA services are provided at no charge to residents.