Kevin Knauss: Health, History, Travel, Insurance
It is my business model to welcome this diverse group of individuals and treat each person with equity and respect. I welcome and include people from all over the world and the U.S. because it makes me a better person and insurance agent. These people bring unique family situations into our conversations. What I learn from their experience, I can pass along to other people.
For a married couple, they can earn up to $2,433 per month and still qualify for MAGI Medi-Cal. This represents a 3.44 percent increase from 2024. MAGI Medi-Cal is the expanded Medi-Cal for low-income adults between the ages of 19 and 64 years of age.
If California congressional Republicans vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act and with its expanded adult Medi-Cal access, they will be irrevocably injuring thousands of their own constituents. Not all Medi-Cal programs that provide assistance to Medicare beneficiaries, children, and their caretakers are intertwined with the ACA. However, we all know that an accident or illness that befalls a household’s primary wage earner can lead to cascading effects for the whole family. Medi-Cal helps people bounce back after an accident or illness to support the whole family.
Covered California households with incomes below 250 percent of the federal poverty will be eligible for a reloadable debit card to purchase food. The monthly amount will be $80 for each eligible household member. Through the application process, it will be determined if the individual or family is experiencing food insecurity.
The MAGI reported on lines 11, 6a, 6b, 2a, 2b, and 1h. Income from the schedules, such as schedule C Profit Loss from a business, is funneled onto line 1. You may need to find a specific schedule to determine the income or deduction to properly estimate your future income for Covered California. This is an income estimate. It is not necessary based on your last file federal tax return.
Regardless of the error, Medi-Cal updates the Covered California income section denying the non-Medicare spouse their private health insurance with the subsidy. The spouse is determined Medi-Cal eligible and their health plan is terminated.
Because of the Social Security Fairness Act, Jan will receive a monthly benefit of $1,000. Unfortunately, Jan doesn’t receive the one-time lump payment for 2025 until December, too late to amend their Covered California income estimate. Jan and David must reconcile the higher annual income on their federal income tax return.
Individuals and families have a 60-day window to enroll in Covered California, or if they are current consumers, change their health plans. If someone has lost their health insurance because of the Palisades Fire, they can enroll in Covered California, outside of Open Enrollment, by March 8. If the individual or family wants the health insurance to start March 1st, they need to enroll by February 28th.
Fourteen years ago, when I changed careers to insurance, my net revenue for the first two years was zero. It wasn’t until 2014, after I had exhausted my retirement funds, that I was making enough money to pay the bills with a net income of $21,724. I never imagined my net revenue would hit six figures and 2024 may be my peak revenue year.
If all you want is the lowest total cost (MOOP plus premiums), you would opt for a Bronze plan if the premium differential is greater than $229.17 per month between the Bronze 60 and Silver 73. If the premium differential is greater than $229.17 per month with the Silver 73, the total costs of MOOP and premium will be more than if you had a Bronze 60.
