WASHINGTON (AP) — Getting covered through President Barack Obama's health care law might feel like a combination of doing your taxes and making a big purchase that requires research. The process involves federal agencies verifying your identity, citizenship and income, and you have to sign that you are providing truthful information, subject to perjury laws. [...] even if the process triggers some anxiety, it's not the government poking in your medical records, as "Obamacare" foes have suggested. After state health insurance markets open Oct. 1, consumers can apply online, via a call center, in person or by mail. — Provide current information on income, jobs and any available health insurance options. Many people, ranging from lower-income workers to the solid middle class, will qualify for tax credits to help buy a private plan through the state markets. The government will send money directly to your insurer, and you'll make arrangements to pay any remaining premium. Plans at every "metal level" cover the same benefits and have a cap of $6,350 a year in out-of-pocket expenses for an individual, $12,700 for families. Young adults up to age 30 can pick a skinny "catastrophic" plan — but you can't use your tax credit on a catastrophic plan. Richard Onizuka, director of the Washington state market, says picking a plan could be the most difficult step.
Reported by SeattlePI.com 7 hours ago.
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