When Paul was a teenager, he suffered a brain injury in an accident. He is honest and hard-working, but repercussions from his injury can make it difficult for him to maintain a full-time job. He currently works part-time with no benefits.
Because of his injury, going without health insurance isn’t an option for Paul. But even though he makes about $18,000 a year, he has been paying for his medical insurance out of pocket. His premium is currently $500 a month, and with his $2,000 deductible, he ends up spending close to half of his income each year on health insurance.
Now in his early 50s, Paul hasn’t been able to save for retirement because of his high health insurance costs. He has been living with his parents to reduce his expenses. But now that they are retired, he and his sister, Allison, who is also his health care representative, have started worrying about the future. Allison explains, “It can be very frightening, for him and for me, worrying about the idea that he might not have coverage at some point or not have the money to pay for it. If he can’t save for retirement or pay for his medical care, what’s going to happen to him?”
So Paul and Allison sat down with a PPMNS Navigator to find out what Paul’s health insurance options are under the ACA. It turns out that Paul is eligible for Medical Assistance with a 100% subsidy, so he won’t have to pay a premium at all.
Both Paul and Allison are thrilled with the news. “My brother is somebody who works hard and doesn’t want a handout,” Allison says. “So for him to have that much more money will be huge, because he can take better care of himself financially. He can save money for retirement; he can buy his own clothing and pay for his own car. He’s very excited. And he’s not somebody who will take it for granted.”