Frequently-asked questions by tag
How might my tax deductions affect the size of my ACA premium subsidy?
March 5, 2026 – Learn how tax-deductible contributions to an IRA, HSA, or self-employed health insurance deduction might lower your MAGI and boost the…
If your income last year was higher than expected, do you have to pay back some of the advance premium tax credits that you received for Marketplace coverage?
February 16, 2026 – If you received advance premium tax credits (APTC) for health insurance you purchased last year, and your income ended up increasing, you…
I’m a legal U.S. resident, but not a citizen. What are my health insurance options?
January 7, 2026 – Legal U.S. residents have the same eligibility as citizens to receive subsidies for health insurance purchased in the…
We’re a family of four with an income of $60,000 a year. What kinds of subsidies are available to help us purchase insurance through the exchanges?
December 30, 2025 – The government offers two types of subsidies for people who buy their own insurance in the state’s marketplaces (a.k.a. health insurance…
Does the IRS change how much I’ll have to pay for my health insurance each year?
July 30, 2025 – Unless Congress extends the subsidy enhancements, the percentage of income that you have to pay for self-purchased (individual/family)…
If someone decides to not buy health insurance and is injured in accident, what happens?
December 9, 2024 – When a patient arrives at the emergency room and is uninsured and unable to pay for his care, staff there are required by law only to…
I earn just $25,000 a year. How can I afford the out-of-pocket costs of health insurance?
August 28, 2024 – It’s true that deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums on Bronze plans are quite high. But if you qualify for cost-sharing reductions, you…
How can American Indians and Alaska Natives get coverage under the ACA? Are there specific plan options for them?
March 29, 2024 – American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) benefit from the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) expanded coverage. Most American Indians/Alaska…
I thought subsidies were available for anyone with incomes up to 400% of poverty level, but the calculators I’ve used say our family doesn’t qualify. Why?
July 7, 2022 – Subsidies are only provided if the unsubsidized cost of the benchmark silver plan would be considered unaffordable without the subsidy. But…
Were individual-market health plans less expensive before Obamacare?
July 31, 2021 – A 35-year-old says that before the ACA, his health insurance premiums were $150 a month with a $50 deductible. But did he have a true major…
Would my 21-year-old’s subsidy be based on his income – or mine?
October 3, 2013 – If you declare him as a dependent on your income tax, then your income would be included in determining whether he gets a…
Should I buy the health plan my college offers? or buy through an ACA exchange?
August 12, 2013 – Most student health plans offered by colleges and universities are fully compliant with the ACA, with just a few exceptions that don't…