So it wanted me to put in our income..which would have calculated a subsidy...so I made up an artificially high income just to see "full price" plans...which is how I got the $1,784/mo, or $21,408/year. So...
Let's assume I want current bronze (costs $1,479/mo or $17,748/yr) and a few MAGI incomes x 8.5%:
@ $60k, $5,100, so plan cost would be $17,748 - ($21,408 - $5,100), or $1,440/yr
@ $70k, $5,950, so plan cost would be $17,748 - ($21,408 - $5,950), or $2,290/yr
@ $80k, $6,800, so plan cost would be $17,748 - ($21,408 - $6,800), or $3,140/yr
@ $120k, $10,200, so plan cost would be $17,748 - ($21,408 - $10,200), or $11,208/yr
Does this look like the right math? If so, then my decision about whether or how much to Roth convert would be based on a comparison of the incremental premiums paid vs. the benefit we'd receive later by having less RMD taxes and so on. For example, assuming we take a $50k Roth conversion, am I willing to spend an additional $8,918 in premiums to do that ($11,208 - $2,290)...which is a 17% "penalty". But only taking an additional $10k (from $70k to $80k MAGI) would only mean an additional $850 in premiums, or an 8.5% "penalty".
I'm sure I have something wrong...but I'm getting closer to understanding each time...thanks for the patience!