Affordable Care Act: October 1 is Closer Than You Think

If you’re trying to make sense of what Obamacare/Affordable Care Act/That Thing No One Understands will mean to you and your paycheck, Reuters columnist Linda Stern offers some of her own thoughts. Specifically, she sees three areas to pay attention to:

1) “This tax season matters,” she says. You’ll need your 2012 tax return, some tissues (if you’re me, and expect to cry a lot), and patience. “Take a look at your 2012 tax return to see if you’re going to qualify for subsidies. People who earn 400 percent of the federal poverty level or less will have their premium costs capped and excess premium covered by tax credits.”

2) “Get educated.” It’s your health: you’re in charge. However, there’s going to be a LOT of information out there. “Cheryl Fish-Parcham, deputy director of Families USA, and her colleague, Claire McAndrew, a senior policy analyst, say they most worry about newcomers to the health insurance buffet getting scammed or misled once they are both required to buy health insurance and responsible for choosing their own.”

3) “Save money now.” Her suggestion? “If you currently have a high deductible plan with a health savings account, max out your contribution for 2012 and 2013. It’s not clear that these programs will all survive in their current form going forward; you may find yourself with other choices that don’t allow you to use an HSA, and that money could come in handy later.”