Forum Will Address Implications Of Affordable Care Act

Maryland Health ConnectionOfficials from the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services will walk residents through the newest facets of the federal Affordable Care Act during a forum on Thursday, Sept. 5 at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Service Center (4805 Edgemoor Lane).

The event, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., will begin with a brief presentation that will deal with how to prepare for enrollment for health coverage through the Maryland Health Connection, the state health insurance marketplace that will open to individuals and families on Oct. 1.

On Friday, state insurance officials approved health care rates that were mostly lower than what insurers requested. For example, the premium for health insurance from All Savers for the average Montgomery 50-year-old non-smoker was about 32 percent less than what the company requested. Coventry’s approved rate was 27 percent less than its request.

Health insurance premiums through Maryland Health Connection range from $263 to $470 per month for the typical 50-year-old.

By Jan. 1, 2014, all individuals must have health insurance coverage or be subject to an annual penalty of $95 or up to one percent of their annual taxable income next year, whichever is greater. Those penalties will rise in 2015 and 2016.

A question-and-answer session will follow the presentation. There are also forums set for Silver Spring on Aug. 19, for Silver Spring on Aug. 21, for Germantown on Aug. 22 and for Wheaton on Sept. 3.

See the county press release for full details.

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