Hello,

I have a question about the healthcare insurance in US.

I have heard that it is tied to your employment and the company provides for it.

So here are a couple of questions:

  1. Is there no way for an individual to get their own personal insurance and not be dependent on the company?

  2. What about freelancers, business owners and retirees? Do they forfeit their insurances?

  • @BeaPepEnglish
    6•1 year ago

    Only some states offer free healthcare for people under certain income thresholds without other qualifications such as being disabled or pregnant. There has been progress with states finally accepting the Medicaid expansion, and there are often “low-income healthcare options” available, but A LOT of people are unfortunately still unable to get coverage because they’re too poor.

    • @[email protected]English
      3•1 year ago

      All states offer Medicaid below the income threshold. Those that have not accepted the expansion payments from the federal government have a much lower income cutoff than those that have accepted it.

      • @BeaPepEnglish
        1•1 year ago

        From what I know that is not the case. I am by no means an expert (and honestly I’m hopeful you know something I don’t that can finally help me get treated) but I have tried to get it and have never been eligible in the state of Georgia. Again, I’m not an expert, but my doctor even recommended to me (half jokingly) that if I wanted coverage and could not afford Ambetter then I should just have a kid. These are even the requirements listed for Medicaid on the Georgia.gov website.

        You may be eligible for Medicaid if your income is low and you match one of the following descriptions:

        You think you are pregnant.
You are a child or teenager.
You are age 65 or older.
You are legally blind. 
You have a disability.
You need nursing home care.

        Even when I had no income at all because of health issues I was only able to be treated via hospital indigent care, not Medicaid.

        Edit: In fact, even information regarding the Medicaid expansion seems to line up with my experience as well.

        "Under the expansion guidelines, Medicaid eligibility is extended to adults under the age of 65 with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level/FPL (133% plus a 5% income disregard).

        Pre-ACA, Medicaid was generally never available to non-disabled adults under age 65 unless they had minor children. And even then, the income caps to qualify as a parent/caretaker were very low."