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Affordable Care Act March 2014
What is ACA? • The Affordable Care Act establishes a new Health Insurance Marketplace. People who need health insurance can go to the Marketplace, find out what they’re eligible for and apply for the plan that’s right for them. They can apply through a web-site, by phone, by mail, or with personal assistance. There are four kinds of coverage. 03/21/2014
Types of Coverage • Medicaid • Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) • Private Health Insurance Plans (The Exchange) • Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Marketplace 03/21/2014
When did the enrollment begin? • The timeline to begin enrolling in the Market-place will be Oct. 1, 2013 with eligibility start date Jan. 1, 2014. After January 1, 2014. Medicaid will be effective same month of enrollment. • CHIPS policy is being looked at to begin the same month of enrollment also. • Private Insurance will be Jan 1, 2014 to March 31, 2014. The Insurance will begin the next month after enrollment. There are special circumstances to be enrolled in private insurance such as birth, death of spouse, etc. 03/21/2014
Who will it cover? • Medicaid will cover everyone who lives in West Virginia, is a US citizen, is under the age of 65, and earns less than 138 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). • Medicaid coverage for pregnant women is 155% FPL. 03/21/2014
Childern’s Health Insurance (CHIP) • Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will continue to be available for income eligible children, but current enrollees who are in families with income below 138% of FPL will be transferred to Medicaid. 03/21/2014
Private Insurance • Private Insurance is for individuals/families whose income is above 138% FPL level. 03/21/2014
What is FPL? • Federal poverty level is the amount of money that an individual or family earns and is used to determined eligibility for Medicaid, CHIP and subsidized private insurance plans. The federal poverty level varies by income and family size. 03/21/2014
How will Eligibility be determined? • Eligibility is determined based on access to the “federal hub” which includes information from databases from IRS, the Social Security Administration, etc. • All three of the insurance options will be determine using the modified adjusted gross income (MAGI). • Medicaid and CHIP will use a family’s current earnings in the month they apply. • The Marketplace will use what a family is expected to earn. 03/21/2014
What Is MAGI? • Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI). • This method adopts the income tax definition of what counts as income. In general, income that is taxable will be counted for the purpose of determining Medicaid eligibility. • Examples of non-taxable income: Child support, VA benefits 03/21/2014
What Income is counted? • All taxable income for adults, parents, spouses, and for a child that filed income taxes. The only exception is grants or scholarships. 03/21/2014
Are assets counted for Medicaid Determination? • No 03/21/2014
What population does the Medicaid expansion cover? • The ACA expanded Medicaid eligibility for MAGI populations to include all children and adults who meet income and other guidelines. ACA leaves current eligibility intact for traditional Medicaid programs such as people who are blind or disabled, or in need of long-term care services. 03/21/2014
Will the patient need to supply documents such as birth certificate, proof of income, etc.. • No, The Marketplace will make the eligibility decisions based on access to the “federal hub” which includes information from databases for the IRS, the Social Security Administration, Homeland Security, and other state and federal agencies. 03/21/2014
Example on how the Market place will work: • The Smith family consists of Roger, who is a mechanic; Sally, who works at a local restaurant; and Amy, their three-year old daughter. Neither Roger’s nor Sally’s employer offers health insurance coverage. Sally goes to the Marketplace, enters her social security number, and other personal information. The marketplace pulls up the recent tax return. Then the Social Security Administration will verify that all members of the Smith family are US citizens. The family’s income is $27,500. Sally reports she is pregnant. Given these circumstances, the Marketplace determines that Sally is eligible for Medicaid (pregnant and in a family earning less than 155% of FPL), and her information is forwarded to WV for enrollment. Amy, their three year old is, eligible for CHIP, and her information is forwarded to CHIP. Roger qualifies for a private insurance policy. He will be given a list of private insurances to select from. 03/21/2014
A couple of observations from this example: • Sally will not be asked about family resources, nor can the Marketplace require a face to face interview. Sally will need to “attest” that her family’s current month income is $2,292. Since this amount is “reasonably compatible” with the IRS’s data base, the Marketplace accepts this. The Marketplace must also accept Sally’s attestation that she is pregnant. Sally cannot solely attest regarding whether she, Roger and Amy are US citizens. This must be checked electronically with the Social Security Administration or other data bases. 03/21/2014
What is self-attestation? • Self attestation is what a person states is his or her income, family size, where he or she lives, and other eligibility criteria. 03/21/2014
How does Private Insurance work in the Marketplace? • To be eligible for a QHP (Qualified Health Plan), an applicant must be a US citizen or an immigrant who is lawfully present in the US, be a resident or intend to be a resident of West Virginia and not be incarcerated. 03/21/2014
What type of coverage will be available in a QHP? • Bronze: 60% paid by insurance company, 40% co-pay • Silver: 70% paid by insurance company, 30% co-pay • Gold: 80% paid by insurance company, 20% co-pay 03/21/2014
What must a QHP cover? • Ambulatory patient services • Inpatient and outpatient hospital services • Maternity and newborn care • Mental health and substance use disorder services • Prescription drugs • Laboratory Services • Clinically effective preventative services without payment of deductibles, co-payments or coinsurance • Chronic disease management • Pediatric services, including vision health benefits • Rehabilitative and habilitative services 03/21/2014
Will there be assistance paying the Insurance premiums? • Yes • Premium tax credit: Assist in the form of advanceable tax credit. “Advanceable” means that the federal government will pay the credits directly to the applicant’s insurance company on a monthly basis. Also, if you are married, you must file a joint tax return • Cost Sharing: Is only available with the silver plan. Individual or families with incomes 250% or below the FPL who select a silver plan will have reductions in their deductibles, copayments and co-insurance. The reduction depends on what level the applicants fall in the FPL. 03/21/2014
What CAMC did to get ready? • CAMC became a Certified Application Organization with CMS. • This allowed us to train our eligibility specialists, that included ten Financial Counselors, two Medicaid Eligibility workers, four state workers and four CEA workers to become Certified Application Counselors (CAC). • Presumptive Eligibility Certified. 03/21/2014
Consents • Conflict of interest • Certificates displayed • Policy and procedures written 03/21/2014
Expanded Medicaid Eligibility to include all self pay • Only screened Inpatients and high dollar outpatients • Screening all self pay Before ACA After ACA 03/21/2014
How did we expand • Tablets • Each Financial Counselor received a tablet having all systems loaded on the tablet to have a mobile office. This allows us to reach the clinics, ER, etc.. 03/21/2014
Created a 1-800 number to have a centralized phone number to have patients call with questions and appointments. • Created a brochure to hand out at all Points of service that has our 1-800 number on it with information about the program. 03/21/2014
How did we expand cont. • Working with CAMC Physicians group that have 27 locations to ensure compliance. • Handed out brochures. • Developed scripts for an uninsured patient to be referred for a financial screening. 03/21/2014
Worked with Human Resources to help employees that needed assistance with the Marketplace or Medicaid application. • Financial Counselor attended CAMC Benefit Fair to answers employee questions. • Attended several internal staff meeting. • Financial Counselor will be attending our annual community Healthfest Event. 03/21/2014
Questions? 03/21/2014