Letter to the Editor: Gross inequity
BY John Maness, Tulsa
Tuesday, January 08, 2013
1/08/13 at 8:11 AM
Recent articles by Tulsa World Senior Writer Wayne Greene about the Affordable Care Act discuss a large inequity that will occur in Oklahoma starting in 2014. He states that a state resident whose income is below the federal poverty level will get no subsidized health-care insurance, but a resident whose income is slightly above the federal poverty level will get almost 100 percent subsidized health insurance.
Here is why this inequity occurs. Gov. Mary Fallin has rejected the Medicaid expansion, which prevents any help for those whose income is below the federal poverty level. Those making above the federal poverty level can get subsidized health-care insurance through the federal exchange, and if you are just barely above it the subsidy is almost 100 percent. But if you make below the federal poverty level you would not be eligible to get insurance through this federal exchange.
So if you make one penny below the federal poverty level you get nothing, but if you make one penny above the federal poverty level you can sign up for health insurance with almost a 100 percent subsidy.
Whether you are for or against the Affordable Care Act, I think we could all agree that we would not want this type of gross inequity to occur here in Oklahoma.
I don't know what that solution is to prevent this, but if anyone has any ideas I would encourage you to contact the governor or your state senator or representative.
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