Students will not see any changes in health services after the Affordable Care Act enrollment goes live today.
Kent Bullis, Amelia T. Wood Health Center former medical director, said students don’t need to worry about seeing changes at the health center due to the federal insurance program.
The Affordable Care Act enrollment will start regardless of the government shutdown. The act is, however, one of the main contingencies between the two parties keeping them from making a deal.
According to The Associated Press, nearly half of the 50 million uninsured Americans are expected to get coverage through the program when it is sold in new markets or through an expanded version of Medicaid in states that accept it.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2014, because of the program, most Americans will have a legal obligation to carry health insurance or they will face fines.
While federally operated markets are expected to open at 8 a.m., polls from the AP reported that the American population is divided over act.
A survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation showed 56 percent of Americans don’t want to cut funding to expand uninsured people’s coverage, and around three-fourths of uninsured people didn’t know about the new insurance markets.
In Indiana, there are more than 500,000 Hoosiers without health insurance, according to the AP. People can purchase from 34 health plans, which range from $100 a month for an individual to nearly $1,000 a month for a family of four.
To help with the expected rush of buyers, Indiana has hired 150 employees, reported the AP. Phone systems have been tested to ensure it will handle a heavy flow of calls.
The website for online enrollment, healthcare.gov, open today and run through March 31, 2014. Coverage will start at the beginning of the year.
The website helps visitors with questions involving age, employment and earnings to determine eligible plans.
Lucinda Nord, vice president of public policy for United Way of Indiana, told the AP that the application looks exactly like it does online and the only difference is that people can submit it today.
Many Ball State employees will see changes by 2015, when the 30-hour rule comes into effect. The rule requires Ball State to provide health insurance to employees working 30 hours or more a week.
In addition to the health care for full-time employees, Ball State provides benefits for part-time faculty and contract faculty, said Marie Williams, Ball State associate vice president of Human Resources and Administrative Services.
Williams said she believes that while the Affordable Care Act broadens the coverage Ball State pays for, the plan will save money in the long run.
