Off the Charts Blog | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities | Blog Archive | Proposed Rules to Implement Health Reform Will Streamline Access to Coverage

It is very important to get the message across that the Affordable Care Act - maligned as Obamacare - really is an important step forward. The problem is that it is complicated and the benefits will start kicking in 2 years from now. CBPP is a first class organization. They explain how things work - to us and to policy makers. - GWC

Off the Charts Blog | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities | Blog Archive | Proposed Rules to Implement Health Reform Will Streamline Access to Coverage:" The Department of Health and Human Services and the Treasury Department last week issued three proposed rules that are central to ensuring that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) greatly reduces the number of uninsured Americans. The rules will help states modernize their systems for enrolling people in health coverage to replace the outdated systems that most states use in their Medicaid programs.

Under the proposed rules, consumers will be able to use a single, streamlined application for Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the new tax credit to help people buy private coverage through a state insurance exchange. The state will then determine which (if any) of these forms of assistance the applicant qualifies for.

The rules also allow states to use data they already have, such as from tax returns or other programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly called food stamps), to verify applicants’ incomes, eliminating the need for consumers to send in paper proof such as pay stubs.

People will be able to apply for coverage online, in person, and by phone, and many of them should get a decision on their application the same day.