ACA
in real life

April 17, 2014 -- This ACA thing is tricky. For many people, signing up is not so simple. Here is a fascinating account of the issues as experienced in real life: In Their Own Words: Consumers� and Enrollment Counselors� Experiences with Covered California, a survey released today by the California Healthcare Foundation.

Here in San Francisco we are having an interesting time with the ACA in real life, too. My friend M. ran a couple of sign-up sessions. She says,

[We] signed up J. [who] worked at [employer X] for 30+ years and was laid off. She had Cobra then her ex-husband insured her for awhile then she was a self pay. Once the ACA came into being, J. met with [us and we] signed her up!

[We] also signed up our bartender L. and her husband. L.'s husband is a taxi driver and neither of them had insurance. And now they do!

Of herself, M. writes,
I have insurance through the ACA. I was not eligible for "regular" insurance because of a pre-existing condition and had to get my insurance through MRMIP (Major Risk Medical Insurance Plan) and paid almost $800 per month. When the ACA became available, I might have been the first in line! My insurance now has no limits and while I am paying $666 per month, it is less than $800 so I am happy!

The successes speak for themselves. Let's hope the voters are listening!

Table of Contents