AGGY'S CHOICE

THE INVISIBLE JOURNEY TO INDEPENDENCE 8

 

Hey everybody!  How are we doing with our businesses?  Everybody who attended today’s Affordable Care Act webinar, raise your hand.  (I love saying that…).  Well, I attended the SBA free webinar on the Healthcare Market Place.  "Obamacare" officially goes into effect on October 1, 2013.  There will be some changes for small businesses and big businesses in operation already with a minimum of 50 employees.  In comparison, there will be little for Sole Proprietors (or the Self-Employed) to do at this point unless we are running out the gate with 50 or more employees.  (snooze!)  That is probably not likely so I’m going to focus on us and what I was reminded about in the fight for passing the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

 

 

First, everyone here who worked night and day to get this thing passed, stand up and take a bow! Glory!  Oh, the stories we will tell our grandkids and theirs.  I remember rising in the pitch black morning and trekking down to DC, then returning in the night to attend an online town hall meeting and then blog all over the world.  Who needs sleep when the passion is so strong to create history?  I declare Cap N’ Crunch cereal (w/berries, of course, ...:)) sales toppled those months.  And oh, my God, remember the snow blizzard in the DC Metro area?  Then I was fast asleep when one of my colleagues called and said, “It just passed.”  We were so exhausted by then!  Our Team Leader was such a diligent disciplinarian – “…you need sleep?  Says, who?”  I looked at the fluffy-white snow still piled high on the window sill outside and was like, “What?” (LOL).  And my colleague said, “Healthcare Reform, silly.”  I tried to play it off and was like, “Oh, I heard.”  I could not open my eyes and barely lift myself off the bed to my knees (I actually fell…) when my colleague said, “Umm, I think we are witnesses to a miracle.”  You need to look that up.  “Ok.  Tomorrow.  Promise,” I answered.   (click-up).

 

WOW!  Ok, so here we are approaching another big moment in history on October 1, 2013.  For the Sole Proprietor (Self-Employed/Individual), we do not have to really do much; however, we do like to stay ahead of the game and prepare as much as possible.  Sole Proprietors can shop in the healthcare market place for insurance carriers in October, but we are not obligated to officially find an insurance carrier in the healthcare marketplace until January 1, 2014, and no later than March 2014.  This means the shopping doors for us open January 1, 2014 online, by visiting certain agencies, or by phone and we must make a selection of an insurance provider by March 2014.

 

Other important information for us at this time is that the ACA is responding to the top concerns of the small businesses who were paying 18 percent of the healthcare costs.  This was more than big businesses paid.  So, we can look forward to lower healthcare costs as we grow our businesses.  This means lower premiums for our businesses, fewer choices/obstacles/barriers, elimination of the denial of coverage to our employees who may have pre-existing conditions (and ourselves), and even for seniors who pay more, too.

 

The best news, even though it is upsetting many, is that insurance companies must pay 80 percent of actual consumer premium dollars on actual medical care costs.  They also must disclose and justify proposed rates of 10 percent or more and state and federal government may reviews proposed changes.  These are key consumer safeguards to keep healthcare affordable.

 

So, we can still research on our budget for healthcare so that on January 1, 2014, we are prepared to obtain affordable insurance if it applies to us.  If we have Medicare or Medicaid, there is no need to do anything, but when we no longer qualify for those benefit programs, we’re ready!  For example, if we find coverage best for our needs at $95.00 a month, we need to plan a time in the budget when we will be saving $95.00 to make the transition into the healthcare marketplace before we lose our Medicare benefits for earning too much, etc. etc.  We need to discuss this thoroughly with our counselor in the Ticket-to-Work program for planning purposes as well. 

 

 

Now, there was great information shared on today’s Small Business Administration’s Healthcare Market Place webinar for the Small Business Health Options Program or S.H.O.P.  S.H.O.P. opens officially online on October 1, 2013, and is the healthcare insurance portal for small and big businesses employing 50 or more employees to ‘shop’ for, and choose, a healthcare provider for their business to offer to their employees.  For more information about S.H.O.P., visit Business USA, or SBA.

 

It’s almost (snooze) time for me to go, but I just had to share this wonderful story about a new business catering to the needs of the disability community.   I salute those persons who brought this idea to manifestation.  It is living proof that, yes, we can!

Visit:  http://www.jsonline.com/business/new-west-allis-clothing-store-to-cater-to-people-with-disabilities-b9992536z1-223062021.html

See ya soon,