Love it or hate it, the Affordable Care Act is the law of the land, and if you aren’t already covered by a qualified employer or individual plan or Medicaid, the time to learn about your options is now.   In Kansas 13.1 percent of the population is uninsured, and 5.5 percent have individual insurance.  Some people that fall into this category include individuals that are self employed, including farmers.  
“Kansas farmers have important decisions to make both for their families and for their employees with the Affordable Care Act,” said Barton County Extension agent Donna Krug.  “Hopefully the new law will help farm families purchase less expensive coverage.”
Barton County Extension will host a free, hour-long informational meeting led by Krug, Linda Beech, Ellis County and Jamie Rathbun, Ellsworth County on Tuesday, Oct. 29 at noon at the Barton County Extension Office.  They will attempt to shed some light on the complexities of the ACA and provide consumer resources for more information from K-State Research and Extension and the Kansas Insurance Commissioner and (names) will help people to better understand the Affordable Care Act.
“We know there are many challenges as we implement the Affordable Care Act provisions,” Krug said.  “The educational program on Oct. 29 should help people learn about the resources available if they need help signing up through the marketplace.”

The Marketplace
Envision going to an insurance market, and to enter, you fill out an application with information about yourself, your family, your income and your current coverage.  You hand the application to the admissions agent, and you are given a list of all the providers and the plans available to you in your area.  You are then admitted to the market, and can browse through the plans and determine which is the best fit for you.  That’s the Marketplace.  
Each Marketplace plan is required to provide at least the same basic essential benefits, and some may provide more, according to healthcare.org.  
Throughout Kansas, many large employers “self-insure.”  They pay the cost of employee’s health care directly.  In Great Bend, one example is USD 428.  Many cover the essential health benefits Marketplace plans are required to cover, but they are not required to provide them.  It’s important for employees to find out what their covered benefits are in this instance.  
There are several ways to apply.  You can print off an application from the website healthcare.gov.  You can either follow the instructions and fill out the application yourself, or you can make an appointment with a specially trained ACA assistant, called a Navigator or Certified Application Counselor, who can help you.  (See sidebar for local resources.)  You can also call the toll-free number and an agent can take your application over the phone.  
The online application is another option, but early on has been rife with crashes and complications, and is currently undergoing a major troubleshooting effort, according to , said Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of Health and Human Services.
By filling out your application thoroughly, you get the added service of learning if you qualify for special discounts or freebies.  Some may learn they qualify for Medicaid.  Others may find their kids qualify for special low or no-cost insurance.  
But for some, they will only receive confirmation that they don’t qualify for any special deals, and they also can’t afford anything at the market.  These people can at least receive an exemption, which will prevent them from paying a penalty when they file their 2014 federal tax return.  But you can’t get the exemption if you don’t visit the marketplace.  

Deadline looming
Applications through the Marketplace need to be submitted by Dec. 15 of this year to ensure they are covered by their plan on Jan. 1, 2014. If they wait and submit between Dec. 16 -31, they will not receive coverage until Feb. 1.  This will be the case for each following month.  In 2014, there is a grace period during open enrollment, with penalties not being applied until April 1.  
According to healthcare.gov, the first year of broad implementation, the penalty for not having coverage will be $95 per adult, and $47.50 per child, or 1% of your income (whichever is higher). This penalty will be assessed on that year’s federal tax return.  The fee increases every year.
After open enrollment ends on March 31, 2014, consumers will not be able to get health coverage through the Marketplace until the next annual enrollment period, unless they have a qualifying life event.

Exemptions
Some may choose to simply pay the penalty rather than purchase coverage.   Some people may qualify for an exemption to this fee.
If after going through the process, you find you can’t find an affordable plan, which is defined as one whose premium doesn’t exceed 9.5% of your income, and offers the mandated minimum coverage, as a Kansas resident, you can apply for an exemption.  This will at least save you from having to pay the federal penalty for not being insured.  This is offered because Kansas did not opt to received funding from the federal government to expand Medicaid coverage to persons who are earn more than 100-400 percent of the federal poverty line, but cannot afford private health insurance.  Residents of other states that have opted in and fall into this category are eligible for subsidies that will help them afford basic health insurance.