Beginning Oct. 1, Texans will have six months to find health coverage to comply with the individual mandate under the Affordable Care Act. The federal government has launched an online marketplace offering dozens of health plans for Texans to choose from, but there are many ways to comply with the mandate. Use this interactive quiz to determine the best health coverage option for you and your family.
The Texas Tribune is pleased to provide the opportunity for you to share your observations about this story. We encourage lively debate on the issues of the day, but we ask that you refrain from using profanity or other offensive speech, engaging in personal attacks or name-calling, posting advertising, or wandering away from the topic at hand. To comment, you must be a registered user of the Tribune, and your real name will be displayed. Thanks for taking time to offer your thoughts.
Comments (15)
Albert Motz via Texas Tribune on Facebook
According to WHO, the US ranks 17th in health care and 1st in health spending. The ACA is designed to stabilize or increase the profits of insurance and health care providers WITHOUT significantly improving health care and all the while using health care as the Trojan horse to slip in 2000 pages of new rules, regulations and laws that would never have passed Congress if presented alone. So at the rate we're going, the best option may be picking a 3rd world country from the 16 that have a better system.
Laurie Guthrie via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Good Luck.
http://twitchy.com/2013/10/01/surprise-obamacare-health-insurance-exchange-websites-dont-work/
Craig Steiger via Texas Tribune on Facebook
That's because the Governer of Texas wants it to fail and had refused to set up an exchange for Texans... So we will have some web site problems with the federal one until it settles down!
Michael Thomas via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Too many people trying to register at once. Sad that Texas didn't open their own exchange.
E. Quote
It seems the conservative solution for provision of health care to those unwilling or unable to pay is the also the preference for a large number of Americans. That is The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) an U.S. Act of Congress passed in 1986 as part of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). It requires hospitals to provide care to anyone needing emergency healthcare treatment regardless of citizenship, legal status or ability to pay. There are no reimbursement provisions. Please notice that there is no push by anyone to repeal EMTALA. Anyone know how hospitals cover the costs incurred because of EMTALA?
Edie Clark via Texas Tribune on Facebook
And sadly, Texas refused to expand Medicaid,turning down $79 billion in federal funds, and keeping Texas#1 in uninsured people.
Katie Frizzell Berry via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I'm losing my OBGYN over this crap. She can't afford to keep her practice running and is headed to cash only only nov. 1. Because sorry folks, medicaid doesn't pay enough and never pays on time. It is a broken system about to shatter even more! Providing MONEY for healthcare is NOT providing the actual doctors and nurses needed to provide you with the actual healthcare. People, it's not a matter of money! Obamacare ruins DOCTORS.
stlevine
Got questions? Need an objective source for easy-to-understand answers about the marketplace?
Try the Texas Medical Association's "Hey, Doc" campaign. See http://heydoc.texmed.org
James A Boren via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Why is it that all the POG public union members who supported Obamacare want to be exempt from same? They should loose their current coverage and be dumped into their dear leaders exchanges.
Stanley Moore via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Here is the problem. Too many people like Sketter:
https://soundcloud.com/rockymountainmike/please-help-skeeter
Laurie Guthrie via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Maybe tomorrow.
http://youtu.be/6wCwXew9yGg
Anne-Marie Edens De Witt via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Interesting tool. Very useful for most situations. While I'm on COBRA, I know I've met the mandate, but I'm not sure what my options on the federal exchange will look like when my COBRA ends. As a business owner with a recent diagnosis of cancer, I'm truly grateful for the ACA. I wouldn't be able to get an individual policy for 5 years without it. (The High Risk Pool is outrageously expensive as well.)
Mary Muna via Texas Tribune on Facebook
We call it Veterans Administration
Mandy Mantzel via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Texas Tribune- thank you, thank you, thank you. Love, everybody.
K FISH
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT ELECTED OFFICIALS SAYING-
Because legislation was voted into law by both houses you must accept it
Legislation approved by the Supreme court so you must abide by it
We have to pass it so we can find out what is in it
Proud of legislation passed into law that they did not read OR KNOW WHAT WAS IN IT?
How do you feel about being forced to accept and be regulated by legislation that was passed into law by legislators who never read or understood it?