Virginia Affordable Care Act Comprehensive Guide
In this article, you will learn about the Affordable Care Act health care reform laws in Virginia. You will get an understanding of how the health care law impacts you as a citizen of the state. Learn how to sign-up for the Affordable Care Act, learn about the Affordable Care Act penalty and subsidies, and much more.
Contents
What is Virginia Affordable Care Act?
Affordable Care Act, also know as Obama Care, was signed into law in March 2010. The goal of the Affordable Care Act is to provide US citizens with affordable health insurance and to reduce the cost of health care spending for families and in America.
The Key Points of the Affordable Care Act / Virginia Obamacare:
- Improving Quality and Lowering Health Care Cost
- Access to Affordable Health Care
- New Consumer Protections
- Individual Mandate | Employer Mandate
- Minimum Essential Coverage for each Health Insurance Plans
How to Apply for Virginia Affordable Care Act?
Virginia Affordable Care Act marketplace is run by the Federal government. Click on HealthCare.gov to access Virginia Affordable Care Marketplace. You can preview the different insurance plans and see participating doctors before selecting the final health insurance plan.
| State | Federal or State Marketplace | Website | Medicaid Expansion? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | Federal | www.HealthCare.gov | No |
When can I apply for Virginia Affordable Care Act (Virginia ACA)?
Virginia Affordable Care Act’s Open Enrollment starts on November 1 and ends on December 15. To have health insurance coverage beginning in the following year, you must apply before the December 15 deadline.
In order to qualify for Tax Credit or Premium Tax Subsidies, you must purchase health insurance from the Affordable Care Act Marketplace during the Open Enrollment period.
If you qualify for Virginia Medicaid health insurance, then you can sign-up for Medicaid any time of the year.
When is the deadline for Virginia Affordable Care Act (VA ACA)?
Important dates for Virginia Affordable Care Act deadlines: The absolute last day to purchase health insurance from the Marketplace is December 15.
- November 1: First day to enroll in or change plans for new insurance
- December 15: Last day to enroll in or change plans for new coverage to start the new year
How much is Virginia Affordable Care Act?
There are four different plans within the Virginia Affordable Care Act. The metal plans represent the various levels of coverage you receive and what the plan pays on average. The plan levels DO NOT represent the quality of the health coverage/doctors you receive.
- Bronze Plan: The plan pays 60% of the cost, you pay 40% of the cost
- Silver Plan: The plan pays 70% of the cost, you pay 30% of the cost
- Gold Plan: The plan pays 80% of the cost, you pay 20% of the cost
- Platinum Plan: The plan pays 90% of the cost, you pay 10% of the cost
The cost of the Affordable Care Act in Virginia depends on the metal plan you choose and the number of people in the household. Platinum plans have the highest insurance premiums (monthly cost) and Bronze plans have the lowest insurance premiums.
What are the Virginia Affordable Care Act Eligibility Requirements?
In order to get Virginia Affordable Care Act, you must meet the following requirements:
- Must live in Virginia
- Must be a US citizen, national, or lawfully present, immigrant
- Cannot be currently incarcerated (be in jailed)
- Have a valid Social Security Number
- and few other requirements
Do I need to get Virginia Affordable Care Act?
Yes, every individual in Virginia needs to have health insurance. The Individual Mandate of Affordable Care Act health care law requires US citizens to enroll in a health insurance plan or pay a penalty. If you have Medicaid or company-sponsored health insurance, you have met the insurance coverage requirement.
You can choose not to have health insurance, but you have to pay the penalty in addition to the hospitals/doctor’s medical fee if you do get sick.
How much is the Affordable Care Act Penalty in Virginia?
The penalty (or also called individual shared responsibility payment) is calculated in two ways.
Starting in the 2019 tax year, there is no longer a penalty for not having health insurance.
From 2016-2018, the ACA penalty is as follows:
- By percentage of income (2.5% of household income or a maximum of National Average Bronze plan premium)
- By number of people in the household ($695 per adult, $347.50 per child or maximum $2085)
You’ll pay whichever penalty is higher.
How much are Virginia ACA Subsidies? What are the requirements?
Affordable Care Act Subsidies are also called, “Premium Tax Credits.”
ACA subsidy lowers your premium – the amount you pay each month to your insurance plan. The amount of your ACA Subsidy depends on the estimated household income that you put on your ACA Marketplace application.
In order to qualify for the Affordable Care Act Subsidy, your income must be between 100% to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level.
| Federal Poverty Level | Insurance Premium After PTC Subsidy |
|---|---|
| Up to 133% FPL | 2% of income |
| 133-150% FPL | 3%-4% of income |
| 150-2000% FPL | 4%-6.3% of income |
| 200-250% FPL | 6.3%-8.05% of income |
| 250-300% FPL | 8.05%-9.5% of income |
| 300-400% FPL | 9.5 of income |
| Over 400% FPL | No Government Subsidy |
Medicaid Expansion under the Affordable Care Act
With the new health care reform, the Federal government offered incentives for states to expand the Medicaid program. 30 states out of the 50 states plus Washington DC expanded Medicaid program while 20 states decided not to expand Medicaid due to expected future cut back funding from the Federal government.
Virginia did not expand the Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act Health Care Reform as of 2015/2016.
| State | Medicaid Expansion |
|---|---|
| Virginia | No |
Insurance Companies that offer Affordable Care Act Health Insurance Plans in Virginia:
The following insurance companies are offering Affordable Care Act Plans in the Marketplace.
- Aetna
CareFirst BlueChoice, Inc.
Coventry HealthCare of Virginia (Aetna)
Group Hospitalization and Medical Services, Inc. (CareFirst)
Health Keepers, Inc
Innovation Health Insurance Co.
Kaiser Foundation Health Plan
Optima Health Plan
Piedmont Community HealthCare
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Virginia Affordable Care Act:
- Who runs the Virginia Affordable Care Act? Federal
- Where can I sign up for Virginia Affordable Care Act? Click here
- Do I need to get health insurance or the Affordable Care Act? Yes, if not, you have to pay a penalty.
- How much is Virginia Affordable Care Act? Click here for the average ACA premium
- Did Virginia expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act? No
Click here for more Frequently Asked Questions on Obamacare / Affordable Care Act.
For more information on Virginia Obamacare / Affordable Care Act:
Federal HealthCare.Gov Marketplace
Toll-Free: 1-800-318-2596
Website: HealthCare.gov
Department of Social Services
Division of Benefit Programs
801 East Main Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
(800) 552-3431
(804) 726-7000
http://www.dss.virginia.gov/division/index.cgi
citizen.services@dss.virginia.gov
Virginia’s five largest cities in terms of population: Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Richmond, and Newport News. You can apply for Affordable Care Act Health Insurance in any city in Virginia.