Were you successful in the ACA signup

[MRG]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolf Don't assume you are "we should be all ready to go". As mentioned in an earlier post, even though you have paid your first premium, and are covered as of Jan 1st, you still have to provide income verification. In, Calif, the term they use is, "now you have provisional insurance"...which you will lose, unless you provide more detailed income verification. (ie. mail, fax, upload). by a certain date.

Sorry for my silly question, appreciate any input.

How can I provide information that was never requested? To whom? I was never asked for proof, other then did my income change? Yes. Healthcare.gov says I'm good(eligibility notice), BCBS gave me cards, says I'm insured as of 1/1/14.

What am I missing? Who are 'they'? What do 'they' want? How do I contact 'them'?

Thanks in advance,
MRG

[Refresher]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MRG Sorry for my silly question, appreciate any input. How can I provide information that was never requested? To whom? I was never asked for proof, other then did my income change? Yes. Healthcare.gov says I'm good(eligibility notice), BCBS gave me cards, says I'm insured as of 1/1/14. What am I missing? Who are 'they'? What do 'they' want? How do I contact 'them'? Thanks in advance, MRG

Go to your pharmacy tomorrow and ask for a prescription refill. May be an indicator of whether you new policy is in effect.
Maybe make an MD appointment this week.

[aja8888]

My daughter, who completed an ACA application, paid her first payment with BCBSTX, and received her cards, was never asked to provide income verification.

[rbmrtn]

NY and CA are state exchanges and may be different in how they implement things versus the Fed exchange. Here is the CMS document on verification requirements

http://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Resources/F...n-8-5-2013.pdf

They would ask for additional documents if things don't match the data they have ( tax returns, experian etc ) and if there is not a reasonable explanation for the difference ( I retired ).

[MRG]

Thanks to all. I was hoping it was a state difference. By chance I do have a DR appointment Thursday. I just don't want any more surprises now.

Haven't officially canceled COBRA yet, plan B.
Thanks,
MRG

[ziggy29]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbmrtn They would ask for additional documents if things don't match the data they have ( tax returns, experian etc ) and if there is not a reasonable explanation for the difference ( I retired ).

I think they also look at more recent Social Security earnings history where available. Perhaps that explains some of it. My 2012 income was far too high for any kind of subsidy, but I hadn't been pulling that regular paycheck since the first week of April 2013 (so maybe they assumed that was no longer in play). They knew about my postal gig and estimated I was earning about $200 a month on it. So I think they were using SS payments as the basis. They didn't have the records at all for my wife's ministerial income, but the treasurer there manually writes quarterly checks to the IRS for that, so maybe their computers didn't have it at the ready -- I had to enter that employer and income manually.

[Sue J]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl BTW, I didn't go on a bike ride today, because crashing today could cost thousands -- crashing tomorrow would be much cheaper.

When my son got enrolled and paid his bill I told him that after 1/1/14 he could shoot a BB gun and run with scissors.

Have a safe and healthy 2014, Al.

[ziggy29]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sue J When my son got enrolled and paid his bill I told him that after 1/1/14 he could shoot a BB gun and run with scissors.

Ah, so when some kid complains to his mother that "so and so's mom is cool, she lets so-and-so do X, Y and Z".... you're that mom?

[fisherman]

I am still in shock that I can finally post this and how close it was. I got the package in the mail from BCBS today. We have our new policy! Premium is paid and cards are in hand. Old insurance is cancelled as of 11:59PM tonight and new starts at 12AM 1-1-14.

It only took 77 hours total to make it happen but it is done as of 4PM local time on 12-31-13. Talk about close.

New premiums are $230 a month less. Deductible is $0 and OOP max is $2900 for the family. Previous deductible and OOP max were $10K. Kids really help on the subsidy calculation.

The amazing part is how much more is covered. Even the kids dental and vision is covered.

I had checked last month when I first selected the policy and all docs, dentists, and close hospitals are in network. We actually have more Dr to choose from than before.

Halleluiah!!!

[MRG]

Ziggy29,
The SS data makes a lot of sense. My last contribute to SS was 4/30/13. After that 0. 'They' knew who I was from Experion.
Thank you, I'll go obsess about something else.

MRG

[scrabbler1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbmrtn NY and CA are state exchanges and may be different in how they implement things versus the Fed exchange. Here is the CMS document on verification requirements http://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Resources/F...n-8-5-2013.pdf They would ask for additional documents if things don't match the data they have ( tax returns, experian etc ) and if there is not a reasonable explanation for the difference ( I retired ).

I wonder, too, if the reason is I am applying through a state (NY) exchange. That being said, I have not found any place in the document upload section for me to include an explanation. When I include the December 2013 Fidelity statement, it will show a December "spike" in my investment income due to some fairly large cap gain distributions which will not necessarily repeat in 2014. I do not assume the flunkies who read the Fido statement will realize that and give me a hard time with the 2014 subsidy. All I want is the chance to file for a subsidy with my 2014 return using my actual year-end 2014 income.

[rbmrtn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrabbler1 I wonder, too, if the reason is I am applying through a state (NY) exchange. That being said, I have not found any place in the document upload section for me to include an explanation. When I include the December 2013 Fidelity statement, it will show a December "spike" in my investment income due to some fairly large cap gain distributions which will not necessarily repeat in 2014. I do not assume the flunkies who read the Fido statement will realize that and give me a hard time with the 2014 subsidy. All I want is the chance to file for a subsidy with my 2014 return using my actual year-end 2014 income.

Maybe upload your explanation in word document or scanned image. The state run exchanges are all running different software, so that may be the issue.

I think the income verification part is mainly for getting the advance subsidy. Since you are going file against actual 2014 income for a refund it shouldn't make any difference. Here's a link to the IRS info on the tax credit The Premium Tax Credit

[scrabbler1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbmrtn Maybe upload your explanation in word document or scanned image. The state run exchanges are all running different software, so that may be the issue. I think the income verification part is mainly for getting the advance subsidy. Since you are going file against actual 2014 income for a refund it shouldn't make any difference. Here's a link to the IRS info on the tax credit The Premium Tax Credit

The IRS page you referenced was one I viewed a few months ago when I stated in another thread how I planned to claim the subsidy later instead of having it apply to my monthly payments. And because the subsidy is federal, not state, I still did not see why I had to provide any income verification with the application to the NY Marketplace. The only income which will eventually matter is what I post in my 2014 federal income tax return, income which will be verified, where possible, by the data my investment companies provide to the IRS. I mean, these annual Fido statements will not include any capital losses, for example, resulting from the sales of any investments in 2014. If I end up being ineligible for a federal subsidy because I have unforeseen income spikes in 2014, then that alone will be the determinant, not anything I send to the NY Marketplace in December of 2013.

[Sue J]

30 minutes into 2014 and I've looked into our insurers member site and I can see everything I need to see for our new insurance. We are both listed as insured and the card only shows DHs name so I guess I don't get one with my own name. That's fine.

There's a link to our prescription plan and I checked that out, too.

Looks like we are good to go. Next step is opening the HSA and setting up funding. The plan is to cash flow our regular expected office visits, blood work and Rxs and not touch the HSA unless we need to.

Good luck to everyone that went through this process. We've certainly learned a lot, haven't we?

[shotgunner]

My application in Healthcare was "complete" on mid November. Anthem BC/BS was the only provider for NH and NH residents were not able to make a payment even after being approved and selecting a plan. This changed in mid December.

I have been in direct phone and e-mail contact with a woman at Anthem BC/BS. She confirmed I was in their system and confirmed by subsidy amount. She gave me the information to sign up in Anthem's secure e-mail system. She gave me a number that allowed me to go into their website and make payment.

I have made the payment and she confirmed it was done, HOWEVER, I have not seen a debit against my bank account yet. She said that will be coming soon and my welcome package and ID card will be mailed shortly after.

Since it is now 1/1/14 and I don't have an ID card I am not sure what I would do if I needed to go to the hospital or the doctor other than to let Anthem and provider figure it out. Hopefully I will see my ID card and debit soon and my renewal next year to go more smoothly. What a time consuming and frustrating process it has been.

[MichaelB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbmrtn I think the income verification part is mainly for getting the advance subsidy. Since you are going file against actual 2014 income for a refund it shouldn't make any difference. Here's a link to the IRS info on the tax credit The Premium Tax Credit

I agree, with one exception. The policy still needs to be "from the marketplace", so renewing the current policy won't qualify for the tax credit. The question is, will the exchange process the application without the income verification.

[jflynn4]

So ... I was able to register and login to the BCBS website this morning, select a primary care physician. Everything appears to be working just fine.

[TromboneAl]

They still haven't charged our credit card. What is going on? I'd call them, but I'm guessing the phones will be swamped.

[Dancer373]

With a LOT of patience and hours on hold on the phone I was able to sign up on the government exchange (live in FL). Picked a silver plan with BCBS FL/ now called by the much more "friendly" name of Florida Blue. Much better coverage with a $1500 deductible as opposed to the $5000 of my previous BCBS plan. Payment by check over the phone accepted and faxed cancellation of current plan. Was paying $403 a month but now paying $133. Yahooooo 18 months till Medicare...

[audreyh1]

BCBS of Texas has extended the payment deadline to Jan 31, 2014. Maybe other companies have done the same. There might be a lot of charges/bank drafts on Jan 2nd!

I can understand the anxiety of not having payments taken yet, since Dec 31 was the official deadline.