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The ACA requires nearly all Americans to have access to affordable health insurance starting in 2014. If you cannot get insurance for yourself or your family through your employer, you will be able to buy insurance through your state’s Health Insurance Marketplace. (see sidebar)

The law also requires that health insurance be made affordable for all Americans. There are several ways in which it helps make this possible:

• Tax credits to help with insurance premiums: Starting in 2014, if you buy health insurance through a state Health Insurance Marketplace, you will be able to automatically apply for a federal tax credit to help cover the cost of premiums—the monthly price of health insurance. If your income is less than 400 percent of the federal poverty level for your family size, you may qualify to receive either a refund on your taxes or financial assistance at the time you buy insurance coverage.
• Subsidies to offset cost sharing: If your income is less than 250 percent of the federal poverty level for your family size, you may be eligible for subsidies to help with costs associated with insurance deductibles and copayments.
• Exemption from “shared responsibility payments”: Under the ACA people who choose not to have health insurance coverage will have to pay a penalty on their federal taxes called a shared responsibility payment. For the ACA to work well, all Americans need to have health insurance, but the law will not force anyone to buy insurance that they cannot afford. Under the law no one will be required to pay more than 8 percent of his or her family’s household income for health insurance. If you and your family cannot pay for insurance without facing financial hardship, you may qualify for an exemption from penalties for not having coverage. (see page 5 for more information on exemptions)

Affordable coverage

The ACA’s main goal is to make quality health insurance affordable for all Americans. The ACA guarantees affordable care for all Americans in the following ways:

Medicaid

Medicaid is the state-run health insurance option for people with very low income and people with disabilities, as well as some families and children. Each state currently has different standards for Medicaid eligibility. Under the ACA, many states are expanding Medicaid eligibility to cover adults who earn up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. Starting in the fall of 2013, you will be able to check your Medicaid eligibility through your state’s Marketplace.

Tax credits

If you or your family’s income is not low enough to qualify for Medicaid but is still less than 400 percent of the federal poverty level, you may qualify for a tax credit to help you pay your health insurance premiums. Anyone who qualifies can receive the tax credit as a pre-payment or as a credit on his or her tax return. You will be able to calculate your tax credit when you apply for insurance through the Marketplace in your state.

Exemptions

Starting in 2014 the ACA will provide several exemptions from the “shared responsibility payment,” the penalty owed for not providing insurance for yourself and your family. The exemptions include being a member of an Indian tribe or a health care sharing ministry or not being able to afford the minimum essential coverage, even with tax credits.

Healthcare.gov

You can see your current health insurance options on the Department of Health and Human Services’s website, available at http://www.healthcare.gov. The website includes search tools to help you find coverage choices for domestic partners and children. Follow the steps below to find out more:

1. Visit http://finder.healthcare.gov.
2. Answer the questions about your state of residence and what best describes your family situation and health care needs. Indicate if you need coverage for a same-sex partner and for any children.
3. Answer additional questions on the next page about your individual situation.
4. Choose one of the insurance options. Before you choose, you can learn more about every option so that you can make an informed decision about what works for you and your family. All the options are in one place so that you can compare them across several categories.