Disability Insurance Observer: Win Some, Lose Some

Some of the individuals cannot get replacement coverage because they cannot afford the premiums, but others cannot qualify for any conventional commercial health coverage at any price because they suffer from serious health problems, Allsup says.

But Allsup notes that the price of coverage through a temporary PPACA program for people with health problems, the Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) program, has been out of reach for many people with health problems.

Allsup adds that PPACA could lead to higher tax costs for people with disabilities who still have significant taxable income.

“Starting in 2013, the threshold for itemized deductions for unreimbursed medical expenses increases from 7.5% of adjusted gross income (AGI) to 10% of AGI,” Allsup says. “However, this is waived for individuals age 65 and older through 2016. Also in 2013, taxpayers will see increased taxes for Medicare. This includes a 0.9% increase in the Medicare Part A tax rate to 2.35% on earnings over $200,000 for individual taxpayers, and $250,000 for married couples filing jointly, and a new 3.8% tax on unearned income for higher-income taxpayers.”

Notice that nothing in Allsup’s analysis involves statements that Democrats are all evil, that everyone who voted for the bill is a Marxist, that people who voted for the bill should be deported, or anything of the like.

The Allsup analysts just read the bill calmly, looking for bits that might help clients as well as bits that might hurt, and found details that firebrands on both sides might wish they’d noticed.