"Like many Americans, she saw her monthly health insurance premium spike this year - in her case, from $265 to $903. The addiction recovery counselor in Colorado said that being self-employed means she sets her own schedule, and the job gives her a strong sense of purpose, but it comes with a trade-off: She doesn't have a company-sponsored healthcare plan."
"For nearly a decade, Richey purchased insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. It has helped cover her prescriptions, doctor's visits, scans, and surgeries. Enhanced ACA subsidies, a credit for which Richey qualified, were designed to help lower- and middle-income Americans pay for healthcare. Subsidized marketplace plans made insurance affordable for those who didn't have access to employer plans - and are the only option for many freelancers, gig workers, and people with part-time jobs."
"They expired on December 31, causing premiums for millions of former recipients to skyrocket. The policy was a key point of political tension during the last government shutdown, and efforts to renew it have lost steam in Congress. People like Richey are drowning in monthly bills before they even reach a hospital."
A lapse in enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies on December 31 led to steep premium increases for many marketplace enrollees. Monthly premiums jumped sharply for individuals like a self-employed addiction recovery counselor whose coverage rose from $265 to $903, threatening her ability to afford care. Marketplace plans had been the primary option for freelancers, gig workers, and part-time employees without employer coverage. Enrollment fell by 1.4 million in January amid concerns that more people will abandon plans. Polling shows broad worry about healthcare access, with medicine often cited as a top financial stressor.
Read at Business Insider
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