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How To Dodge The Obamacare Tax Penalty — Legally

By Emily Bazar January 27, 2015

It’s that joyous time of year when W-2s, 1099s and the other forms we need for our taxes start landing in our mailboxes. A new form debuts this year. It’s called the 1095-A and goes to people who purchased health insurance through Covered California (and other health insurance exchanges around the country). The 1095-A is […]

Covered California’s Confusing Mail

By Emily Bazar January 13, 2015

You’ve jumped through all of Covered California’s hoops. You figured out what makes a bronze plan different from a silver one. You made your best guess at how much money you’ll earn next year. You paid your first month’s premium. Now you have health insurance. Or do you? Today, I’m explaining yet another Covered California […]

Health Law Mandate Hits Employers Unevenly

By Emily Bazar December 30, 2014

Remember those end-of-the world predictions from Nostradamus, the ancient Mayans and Pat Robertson that we somehow survived? The “employer mandate” may be Obamacare’s version of that. Starting Jan. 1, one of the most-feared aspects of the Affordable Care Act takes effect after some delay, and requires large businesses to provide health coverage to their employees […]

Updating Your Income Could Lead To Canceled Health Plan

By Emily Bazar December 16, 2014

How much money will you make next year? Yeah, I wouldn’t know the answer to that either. Projecting your income for the coming year has become a confounding but critical exercise in determining your eligibility for tax credits from Covered California, the state’s health insurance exchange. It’s doubly hard for self-employed individuals and freelancers whose […]

It’s Not Easy To Check Out Of Hotel Covered California

By Emily Bazar December 2, 2014

In my previous column, I explained that you become ineligible for Covered California’s tax credits when you turn 65 and enroll in Medicare. You will owe money to the government if you keep getting the credits after your Medicare begins. So I tried to offer a simple solution: Cancel your Covered California plan. Unfortunately, in […]

New To Medicare? Drop Covered California Fast

By Emily Bazar November 18, 2014

It’s open-enrollment season again, and I’m not just talking about Covered California. Among those making important health care decisions right now are more than 50 million Americans – including more than 5 million Californians – who have Medicare. That’s the federal health insurance program for people 65 and older and those with kidney failure and certain […]

Open Enrollment II: Tips For Obamacare’s Second Year

By Emily Bazar November 4, 2014

I’m a notorious penny-pincher, though I much prefer the term “thrifty.” So I have some counterintuitive advice when it comes to picking a Covered California plan: Cheaper isn’t always better. I’ll explain why below and provide other advice for this year’s Covered California (and private market) open-enrollment season, which starts Nov. 15 and ends Feb. […]

Translations Key To Keeping Coverage

By Emily Bazar September 23, 2014

Covered California, the state’s health insurance exchange, has taken a lot of heat for its communication – or lack thereof – to consumers who don’t speak English well. To its credit, the agency has improved in the past year, especially in its Spanish-language offerings and enrollment-related materials. Unfortunately the news isn’t so great when it […]

Key Efforts To Reform Health Reform

By Emily Bazar October 7, 2014

It has been quite a year. More than 3 million of you signed up for new health coverage in California. But many of you couldn’t find doctors who accepted your plans. Some of you were charged hundreds or thousands of dollars for desperately needed prescription medications. And let’s not forget Medi-Cal, where legions waited for […]

Look Ma, No Option! My Teeth Are Covered.

By Emily Bazar September 9, 2014

Like many things in Obamacare, dental insurance is more complicated than it should be. In today’s column, I’ll try to bring some clarity to the issue and preview coming changes that may affect how often you see a dentist – and at what cost. There’s some good news amid the complexity, especially for kids. Q: […]