“An Arm and a Leg” senior producer Emily Pisacreta lately misplaced a job that offered her with medical health insurance. So now, for the primary time, she will likely be signing up for Obamacare.
Her search is off to a rocky begin. Pisacreta offers listeners a sobering take a look at how the excessive value of medical health insurance plans might change her life and people of hundreds of thousands of others in search of Inexpensive Care Act plans, as premiums, on common, are projected to extend by greater than they’ve in recent times.
Joined by “An Arm and a Leg” host Dan Weissmann and KFF Well being Information senior correspondent Julie Appleby, Pisacreta examines how current price range cuts by the Trump administration for navigators — the folks charged with serving to people, households, and companies join ACA plans — might make it tougher to search out the appropriate plan and to pinpoint what folks can count on in November when open enrollment kicks off.
Dan Weissmann
Host and producer of “An Arm and a Leg.” Beforehand, Dan was a employees reporter for Market and Chicago’s WBEZ. His work additionally seems on “All Issues Thought of,” Market, the BBC, “99% Invisible,” and “Reveal” from the Middle for Investigative Reporting.
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Emily Pisacreta
Host
Ellen Weiss
Editor
Adam Raymonda
Audio wizard
Janmaris Perez
Producer
Lauren Gould
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Transcript: The Wrestle To Afford Insurance coverage in 2026 Hits Dwelling
Notice: “An Arm and a Leg” makes use of speech-recognition software program to generate transcripts, which can comprise errors. Please use the transcript as a software however examine the corresponding audio earlier than quoting the podcast.
Dan: Hey there–
Over the summer time, our buddies at KFF Well being Information revealed a narrative with the headline: “Insurers and prospects brace for double whammy to Obamacare premiums.”
Mainly– whammy primary — insurers are planning to lift premiums for 2026 —
And whammy quantity two: federal subsidies for Obamacare insurance policies are scheduled to get quite a bit much less beneficiant.
Collectively, these whammies imply hundreds of thousands of individuals will likely be paying a LOT extra each month — like tons of of {dollars} extra.
People are going to want as a lot advance warning as doable, to determine how one can put together for successful like that.
Which means: That is our type of story.
And this one hits a bit near house. As a result of a kind of of us is An Arm and a Leg’s senior producer, Emily Pisacreta.
Emily: Yeah, it’s a wild time. I’ve by no means had to do that earlier than. Cuz I’ve at all times had medical health insurance by work. I’ve completely formed my life round that as a result of I’ve diabetes, and with out medical health insurance, I can’t afford what I want.
Dan: However that medical health insurance has by no means come from An Arm and a Leg. When Emily began working right here as an intern, she was the primary individual moreover me to work various hours every week. We didn’t have an worker well being plan as a result of we didn’t have workers.
And we’re nonetheless so tiny, so tiny. Aside from summer time interns, there’s nonetheless solely ever been one different individual working various hours every week moreover the 2 of us. I’m nonetheless the one full-time individual, and we nonetheless don’t have an worker well being plan.
Emily: And till lately, that labored for me– I had one other part-time job, and it had well being advantages.
Besides my contract with that job simply ended.
So for the primary time, like greater than 20 million different folks, I’m open enrollment. And I gotta say, it’s one hell of a 12 months to try this.
Dan: You’re a double-whammy case research.
And to get a broader perspective, the 2 of us talked with Julie Appleby, the reporter who wrote that “double-whammy” story, and since you then’ve continued to do extra homework.
Emily: It’s been fairly intense!
Dan: For actual. And I’m a bit little bit of a case research too:
Instantly I’m discovering out what our nation’s “system” — the place medical health insurance will get tied to jobs — appears to be like like … from the employer aspect. It’s an entire new journey.
We don’t know precisely what we’re going to do. Truthfully, I don’t assume anyone does.
However we’ve discovered a ton. About what we’re up in opposition to — together with hundreds of thousands of different folks — and our choices.
And by tackling this proper now — six weeks earlier than open enrollment begins — I hope we may also help a number of different folks begin planning early with strong data. Let’s go.
That is An Arm and a Leg, a present about why well being care prices so freaking a lot, and what we are able to perhaps do about it. I’m Dan Weissmann. I’m a reporter, and I like a problem. So the job we’ve picked on this present is to take one of the vital enraging, terrifying, miserable elements of American life, and produce you a present that’s entertaining, empowering, and helpful.
So, we began by checking in with the individual whose reporting first received us this story.
Julie Appleby: It’s recording. It appears to be like prefer it says 10, 11,
Dan in interview: good.
Julie Appleby: I’ve notes and I’ll strive to not rattle the papers.
Emily in interview: I imply, if we have now a reporter on tape rattling papers, I really feel like that’s in all probability okay.
Julie Appleby: Okay. That’s a plan, man.
Emily in interview: Yeah. Why don’t we begin out, might you identical to, inform us your identify and what you do and the place you’re employed?
Julie Appleby: So that is Julie Appleby. I’m senior correspondent at KFF Well being Information.
Emily in interview: What kind of stuff do you cowl?
Julie Appleby: I cowl healthcare coverage, however that’s a broad time period. So all the things from price to, the Inexpensive Care Act, to what’s happening with Medicare, every kind of various issues involving well being care applications and insurance coverage.
Emily in interview: So we have been actually excited to speak with you, as a result of we wished to cowl, you already know, all of the modifications to {the marketplace} plans, that you simply’ve been writing about. And, it simply so occurs that I have to enroll in a market plan.
Julie Appleby: So let’s offer you type of the rundown. There’s like, there’s type of like two issues happening right here. Considered one of them is that simply premiums are going up as they do yearly. Though this 12 months it’s larger than it’s been since 2018. So the median improve nationwide, and that is in keeping with some information analysis by KFF, is about 18%. In order that’s an enormous soar, proper?
Emily in interview: Yeah. Yeah. In your reporting you known as it a double whammy. Charges are going up, enhanced subsidies are in all probability going away.
Julie Appleby: Proper. That’s the second half of the double whammy.
Dan: OK, breaking in right here– gonna do that a few occasions for Obamacare vocabulary. Emily simply talked about an necessary time period, glided by kinda quick: enhanced subsidies. Obamacare has at all times included subsidies for most individuals — that’s a part of the “Inexpensive” a part of Inexpensive Care Act. However for many folks, Obamacare insurance policies nonetheless have been… fairly costly!
So, in 2021 — like, as a part of a COVID restoration package deal — Congress added further subsidies for Obamacare insurance policies: Enhanced subsidies.
Julie Appleby: Mainly, they made the protection extra beneficiant on each ends of the earnings spectrum. In truth, I feel I used to be some statistics this morning and one thing like, 80% of people that have protection proper now have a plan that’s $10 a month or much less.
Dan: These are of us with decrease incomes — the place paying sixty or eighty {dollars} a month is an enormous chunk. With “enhanced” subsidies, that grew to become ten {dollars} — and even zero.
However folks with greater incomes additionally received assist. Earlier than the improved subsidies, folks with incomes above a sure stage didn’t get ANY subsidy. Folks known as it an “earnings cliff.”
For the final 4 years these enhanced subsidies, type of erased that cliff. In case your earnings was greater, you simply paid a share of your earnings. Enhanced subsidies picked up the remaining.
However the enhanced subsidies weren’t everlasting. They’ll expire on the finish of this 12 months, until Congress extends them. In any other case…
Julie Appleby: individuals who make greater than the 4 occasions the federal poverty stage is not going to qualify for any assist with their premiums below the Inexpensive Care Act. There will likely be that cliff.
Emily in interview: Proper, proper.
Dan: And it seems Emily is mainly standing on that cliff. She reveals Julie the numbers.
Emily: We discovered this calculator from KFF that makes an attempt to point out the modifications in premiums if the subsidies expire. And perhaps I’ll simply share my display and we are able to take a look at – we are able to take a look at what I’m .
Okay, you guys see KFF? Possibly simply reload and I can enter some Emily figures in right here. So, they ask you about the place you reside and your yearly family earnings.
Dan in interview: what’s the quantity that you simply’ve entered as earnings?
Emily in interview: I’ve entered $63,000. And it says, with out enhanced subsidies, you’ll seemingly lose monetary assist. As a result of my earnings is 418% of the federal poverty stage.
Dan: Oy. a bit extra Obamacare vocabulary. First: Federal poverty stage. 4 occasions that stage is the place you fall off the earnings cliff, no subsidies. 400 p.c. And the calculator – which we must always say, is a 12 months out-of-date, so the numbers aren’t exact, however they offer us an concept– that calculator says Emily’s at 418.
And subsequent: Obamacare plans come in numerous “ranges,” like Olympic medals: Bronze, Silver, Gold… Bronze plans are the most affordable, and canopy the least.
If Emily received a subsidy, the calculator says a silver plan can be like 400-and some {dollars} a month, nevertheless it says Emily wouldn’t GET a subsidy, so…
Emily in interview: It could be about $880 a month for a silver plan, or $675 a month for a bronze plan. So for me, that’s worrying to learn.
Julie Appleby: That’s some huge cash. 880 bucks a month. So that you’re within the scenario the place you don’t get any, subsidies as a result of your earnings is over that quantity. However I performed round with one in all these calculators too once I wrote a narrative lately. And I additionally plugged in anyone, let’s say who’s earnings are type of on the decrease finish of the earnings scale, say simply over 150% of the federal poverty stage. In order that they’re nonetheless gonna pay extra. They’re, it’s gonna go from paying type of a nationwide common of about $2 a month to 72 bucks a month, or $864 a 12 months. And bear in mind, that is anyone who’s making 23,000 a 12 months. So $864 is some huge cash.
Dan in interview: Emily, can you place that calculator again up on the display for us?
Emily in interview: Certain can.
Dan in interview: The scary calculator. I imply, what would occur in case your earnings have been just a bit bit decrease? In the event you simply shave $3,000 out of your earnings, what does it look
Emily in interview: So perhaps like 60?
Julie Appleby: I guess you could possibly even shave a bit bit much less. Why didn’t you make it 62?
(Sfx: Buzzer)
Dan: How about 61? What does 61 do for us?
Emily in interview: Can I get a 61
(SFX: Buzzer)
Dan: how about $60,500?
(SFX: Buzzer)
Dan in interview: I really feel like that is like an public sale reverse.
Julie Appleby: in reverse.
Emily in interview: I do know that is just like the public sale from hell
Dan in interview: Yeah, we’re, we’re decreasing your earnings. So let’s preserve going. $60,200,
(SFX: Ding!)
Dan in interview: That’s it. Holy crap it’s an enormous cliff. It’s a $5,000 cliff
Dan: Breaking in a single final time: 5 thousand {dollars} is how a lot cash Emily may save on Obamacare premiums if her earnings stays beneath that 400 p.c line. Put one other means: It’s how way more she’d must pay if she steps over that cliff.
Dan in interview: Julie, what does that seem like to you, seeing that?
Julie Appleby: I feel this additionally, this illustrates a number of issues. I imply, individuals are gonna must take into account that cliff for subsequent 12 months if these tax credit aren’t prolonged. This can be a projection, that is what you assume you’re going to earn subsequent 12 months. In order that’s one factor that to bear in mind, okay? And one thing might occur. Emily might, I don’t know, perhaps she wins the lottery or she goes to the on line casino and wins a bunch of cash and that places her over.
Emily in interview: Or gives me, you already know, a contract job that’s actually attention-grabbing. It doesn’t pay that a lot, however simply places me over, you already know?
Dan in interview: It’s a must to say, I’m sorry, that freelance job is gonna price me greater than $5,000 to simply accept.
Dan: So, Emily: listening again to that dialog now. What are you feeling?
Emily: I imply, I used to be making an attempt to remain calm however internally I used to be freaking out. As Gen Z likes to say, I used to be crashing out.
Dan: It was actually emotional. We each wanted time to chill off, simply to place this story collectively.
Emily: Yeah, this case is worrying. I don’t know for certain how a lot cash I’m even going to make subsequent 12 months. And it feels type of bizarre to place all this out right here. I don’t know the way any of this sounds to different folks. As a result of perhaps it appears like 400% of the federal stage is some huge cash. And in some elements of the nation it positively is. However I stay in New York Metropolis. So my earnings doesn’t go that far. And that $880 bucks a month we have been speaking about? That’s truly an enormous hit.
Dan: Yeah and — to not pile on, however: the info behind the calculator the place we received that quantity, 880 — that’s final 12 months’s information. So it doesn’t embrace the large premium will increase that Julie was writing about. The precise quantity you’d be paying each month can be larger. And also you regarded up the deductible: greater than 4 thousand {dollars}.
Emily: Proper, which I gained’t have mendacity round in the beginning of subsequent 12 months both. Yeah so truthfully, all of it nonetheless makes me need to scream.
Dan: Yeah, and also you’re a case research for a LOT of individuals. Julie learn us a very sobering quantity, the place one consulting group estimated that with this double-whammy Obamacare enrollment might drop by like half or extra.
And, in truth, one of many causes insurers say they’re elevating costs this 12 months is– with out the improved subsidies, they determine a number of wholesome folks will simply decide out.
Emily: I can see why folks don’t join. I imply, I don’t have that alternative. However in an effort to get a subsidy, I’d must decrease my earnings, and to a really particular quantity – which is lower than I stay on now. And watch it to verify I don’t soak up a penny extra.
Dan: Whereas nonetheless paying tons of of {dollars} a month for Obamacare – even with a subsidy.
Emily: And look. This can be a factor lots of people do. On a regular basis. –deliberately restrict their earnings to qualify for help.. To maintain Medicaid, folks skip out on jobs, careers, marriage.
So my scenario is NOT distinctive. It’s positively not the worst.
Dan: You’re our in-house case research. You may’t stand in for everyone.
I imply, simply so as to add yet one more wrinkle: In the event you didn’t stay in a super-expensive metropolis, your premiums would truly be decrease..
I used that calculator to search for what you’d pay for a silver plan in … Chicago, like the place I stay? Means, means cheaper. Like, unsubsidized? Quite a bit lower than a New York plan *with* a subsidy. I’m simply saying.
Emily: That’s… wild. No shade on Chicago However I don’t assume I’m able to make a protracted distance transfer for medical health insurance but.
Dan: I’m simply saying…
Emily: However whereas we’ve been looking forward to 2026 insurance coverage, I’ve truly had a more-immediate determination to make.
Dan: Proper.
Emily: LIke I mentioned earlier than, I had insurance coverage by my outdated employer. However that’s ending. Whereas we have been doing this story, I had to determine medical health insurance for the final three months of 2025.
Dan: You ended up getting some assist from an actual knowledgeable.
Emily: I certain did.
Dan: And: I known as up An Arm and a Leg’s insurance coverage dealer.
As a result of like we mentioned: If Emily’s a case research, so am I. We’re so small, and I’m the one one right here who’s wanted medical health insurance from this tiny little enterprise. Now, issues are a bit totally different.
What we’ve discovered, and what’s subsequent. That’s simply forward.
This episode of An Arm and a Leg is produced in partnership with KFF Well being Information. That’s a nonprofit newsroom masking well being points in America. Their journalists — like Julie Appleby — do superb work. We’re honored to be their colleagues.
Emily: Julie Appleby left me with a bit recommendation: Join with an ACA navigator.
Dan: Navigators: These are of us who can information you thru the method of signing up for Obamacare. They’re not brokers, they don’t make a fee. They’re paid by the federal government.
Emily: However they’re not authorities workers — native organizations work on government-funded contracts.
Dan: Which is smart– Obamacare plans themselves are mainly native: The menu of plans to select from, they don’t simply differ from state to state: They are often totally different from one county to a different.
Emily: And I wished a bit perspective on how the entire navigator program works.
Dan: And it seems: We all know somebody on the group that coordinates all of the navigators in New York state.
Elisabeth Benjamin: My identify is Elizabeth Benjamin. I’m Vice President for Well being Initiatives on the Group Service Society of New York.
Dan: We’ve spoken with Elisabeth earlier than — a bunch of occasions — about her work pushing hospitals in NY to give up suing folks over medical debt.
And sure, it seems her store additionally runs the community of navigators all through New York.
Emily: However after we talked, it turned out, her connection to the navigator program is a bit totally different than I’d anticipated.
Elisabeth Benjamin: I don’t, you already know, run it everyday, however I, myself do assist folks individually enroll. As a result of it’s actually necessary to grasp what individuals are experiencing, what their issues are. I’ve like a small group of folks that I assist yearly, A number of associates, kids.
Emily in interview: Oh, that’s superior. Okay. Yeah, I guess you’re like an amazing like auntie to have..
Elisabeth Benjamin: You realize, folks that flip 26 and the dad and mom are like, I do know, please, will you assist me?
Emily: She was like: Look, everyone wants assist.
Elisabeth Benjamin: The underside line is, you already know, it isn’t for the faint of coronary heart. It’s onerous to work by these web sites. I imply, they’re as person pleasant as doable, however there’s like little type of little moguls that you need to type of ski over and it’s straightforward to type of miss a mogul and faceplant, and we don’t need that to occur.
Emily: And once I informed her about how my story matches into this episode, she was instantly like.
Elisabeth Benjamin: Oh, properly, I may also help you.
Emily: Not with my complete 2026 dilemma: there’s simply no details about 2026 plans on the market but. However for my quick query — what do I do about the remainder of 2025 – she was like, I’m fairly free tomorrow.
Elisabeth Benjamin: You may tape your enrollment.
Emily in interview: Oh my gosh, that will be superb.
Dan: Critically superb. I imply, it appeared like good tape, which we at all times like.
But additionally — we talked that day, you and me: You have been actually weighing some massive choices.
Emily: I imply one was: Do I join Obamacare for the remainder of the 12 months, or do I keep on my outdated employer’s plan?
As a result of a regulation known as Cobra means they’ve to permit me to purchase in — however I’d must pay the entire month-to-month premium, which was SUPER excessive. Greater than a thousand {dollars}.
So Obamacare was wanting good. These further subsidies are nonetheless in place by the tip of the 12 months.
Dan: There was a draw back.
Emily: Yeah — beginning a brand-new plan would imply beginning with a model new deductible– cash I’d must pay out of pocket earlier than the brand new insurance coverage kicked in for many issues.
Dan: These could be like 1000’s of {dollars}.
Emily: Yeah, however then there was a tremendous shock: In New York, the place I stay, a brand new state regulation implies that all Obamacare plans embrace insulin with no copay. Even in case you haven’t paid out and hit your deductible. That’s a deal I’ve *by no means* gotten from any insurance coverage, ever.
AND this deal included different diabetes provides — like my steady glucose monitor. That stuff could be massively costly.
So my considering was like: I’ll seize the most affordable Obamacare plan– and get all my diabetes provides — and I’ll strive to not go to the physician for the remainder of the 12 months.
Elisabeth Benjamin: Okay, so prepared?
Emily in interview: I’m prepared.
Emily: The subsequent morning, I confirmed up at Elisabeth Benjamin’s condominium.
Elisabeth Benjamin: All proper. So Emily, right here you’re, you’re on my dashboard. Oh, wait, right here I could make this simpler for you. Let’s do the large display. Okay.
Emily: Elisabeth began strolling me by the applying. Identify, date of beginning, tackle… fairly routine to begin.
Elisabeth Benjamin: That’s your telephone quantity…
Emily: And at this stage I’m questioning if I ought to’ve simply carried out all of it myself and left poor Elisabeth alone.
However after some time — as soon as we began truly plans, I used to be like: Oh wow. Elisabeth was capable of like actually zip by issues. It was an entire vibe.
Elisabeth Benjamin: Maintain on one second. That’s not, that’s not necessary I wanna see if that is in community…
Emily: And she or he noticed issues I might have completely missed.
Elisabeth Benjamin: So that is type of an attention-grabbing plan. ’trigger you’d have the ability to go to a physician or a specialist earlier than the deductible.
Dan: Wait, you could possibly do a physician go to earlier than you spent that deductible? That’s a factor?
Emily: Yeah, in that one plan, I assume? However even Elisabeth needed to actually dig to determine that out.
Elisabeth Benjamin: Like see, it’s type of a bit irritating since you wouldn’t, you couldn’t actually inform that from this. For this reason it’s useful to have a navigator
Emily: I imply, super-helpful: With Elisabeth’s assist, I received a plan
Elisabeth Benjamin: and you’re carried out.
Emily: the place OK, I can’t truly SEE a physician earlier than the deductible. Not in individual. However I CAN do telehealth. So if god forbid I get some type of bizarre an infection, I might get a prescription. Oh, and my precise physician, like my endocrinologist, is roofed. And the deductible is far, a lot decrease than the opposite plans I’d been . I imply, it’s nonetheless scary as hell, however HALF as scary-as-hell?
Dan: And the one catch is: It’s a must to do that another time in November or December. Besides then — until Congress extends the additional subsidies — you could be a lot greater month-to-month funds.
Emily: Proper. Really, let’s come again to me in a minute. As a result of the excellent news in my case: A minimum of I’ll have the ability to get Elisabeth’s assist once more. Like, she supplied to, which was so good. But additionally: even when she’s super-busy, I’ll have the ability to discuss to a different navigator. As a result of I stay in New York.
Dan: Yeah. This is among the issues we discovered from Elisabeth. It goes again one of many causes we wished to speak along with her within the first place. As a result of there’s one other massive change with Obamacare this 12 months: the federal authorities is slicing funding for navigators by like 90 p.c. We wished to listen to from Elisabeth — how is that gonna have an effect on her group’s work.
Emily: And — this was a shock: She mentioned it gained’t have an effect on her work in any respect– as a result of New York navigators are funded by the state authorities. Seems the identical factor is true for about half the states. However I talked with Elisabeth’s counterpart in a state the place that’s not the case.
Nicholas Riggs: We’re not gonna have the ability to attain the variety of folks we did earlier than. That’s simply actuality. You may’t do extra with much less. Folks will lose their protection due to this.
Emily: That’s Nicholas Riggs. He runs the NC Navigator Consortium.
Nicholas Riggs: We cowl all 100 counties. We’re the one navigator entity in North Carolina.
Emily: He says an enormous piece of their work is definitely outreach– discovering individuals who could not know they will get this sort of assist.
Nicholas Riggs: You realize, there’s no record of the uninsured.
Emily: They usually don’t simply assist folks decide Obamacare plans– they assist folks join Medicaid. A 90 p.c price range reduce hits all of that. He says they’re in search of extra volunteer navigators, nevertheless it gained’t be the identical as having skilled employees.
Nicholas Riggs: What you’re dropping is institutional data. Volunteer navigators are nice. However typically it takes just a few years to actually get a deal with on some extra advanced instances.
Dan: I imply, Emily — you skilled first hand how massive a deal it was to hae, like, an actual knowledgeable stroll you thru this course of.
Emily: Elisabeth spent virtually an hour with me!
Dan: Lots of people gained’t have entry to that type of assist. It’s yet one more crummy factor we’re making an attempt to assist folks plan for. You discovered a map that reveals which states fund their very own navigators. We’ll submit a hyperlink — so folks can see what the deal is of their state.
And Emily, let’s come again to you for a minute: You’re fortunate to have entry to the world’s biggest navigator, however until Congress extends the improved subsidies, that subsequent dialog along with her is gonna be quite a bit harder.
Emily: I imply, until I get one other job with medical health insurance first.
Dan: So, about that: When you have been having your first dialog with Elisabeth, I used to be speaking with An Arm and a Leg’s medical health insurance dealer, Kurt Kaufman.
As a result of I used to be like: What can I do to make it doable for Emily to stay round?
I requested Kurt, might we set issues up for Emily to purchase into An Arm and a Leg’s plan? Like, in any respect?
Our insurance coverage is from Blue Cross Blue Protect of Illinois. Might it cowl Emily in New York? He was like
Kurt Okay: Yeah, that’s effective.
Dan: Then she,
Kurt Okay: one hundred percent.
Dan: She could possibly be insured on our Illinois based mostly plan,
despite the fact that she’s in New York.. Is that proper?
Kurt Okay: All day lengthy.
Dan: All day lengthy,
Kurt Okay: yep.,
Oh, yeah.
Dan: So I used to be like: Um, how a lot would it not COST?
He mentioned, based mostly in your age — insurance coverage will get costlier as you become old — like, 5, 600.
Emily: That’s a LOT lower than what the scary calculator mentioned I’d pay for a Silver plan with no subsidies. That was exhibiting like 9 hundred {dollars}.
Dan: Yeah. I imply: These are 2025 numbers, identical to all the things else we’ve been . The whole lot in 2026 is gonna be greater. Nevertheless it looks like An Arm and a Leg will get a greater deal than you’d get with Obamacare. Nevertheless, there’s a however. You’d should be full-time.
Emily: Aha!
Dan: Yeah. I imply we’ve received you at 20 hours every week.
Emily: Yeah.
Dan: I used to be like Oh my god. I’d must DOUBLE that? However Kurt was like: Really, no. The way in which insurance coverage appears to be like at it, in case you have been working a median of 30 hours every week, then you could possibly qualify.
Kurt Okay: She could possibly be assembly that definition of quote unquote full-time worker.
Dan: Which, you already know, isn’t in my price range for subsequent 12 months– and I’m nonetheless working to verify another elements of our scrappy little price range get funded– nevertheless it’s not DOUBLE. I’m beginning to consider it– like, a stretch purpose. I imply, I’d LOVE to have extra of your time. I dunno.
Emily: I imply I like the concept quite a bit! However there are only a lot of unknowns, proper?
Dan: Yeah, right here’s the place we’ve landed: You’ve received medical health insurance lined up for the remainder of 2025. And after that, there’s a lot we don’t know. Will I discover extra money? Will you’re taking one other job?
And: Will Congress prolong the improved subsidies? After we first began engaged on this story, over the summer time, consultants have been like, “That’s not gonna occur.”
However in the previous few weeks, SOME Republicans have been proposing it. We positively don’t know — and it’s nothing we are able to rely on.
It’s all, truthfully, a bit scary.
Emily: Truthfully, greater than a bit.
Dan: BUT: We all know greater than we did. We’ve began actually confronting the scary numbers and the unknowns. You’ve taken a observe run at choosing insurance coverage.
Emily: That was truly type of an enormous factor.
Dan: It was, proper? And: I’ve began serious about stretch targets.
We’re extra ready.
And — right here was the purpose of doing this complete case research– I HOPE we’ve simply helped a number of different folks get extra ready, to begin planning.
We’ll preserve you posted on how issues go for us. Some updates will present up in our First Support Equipment e-newsletter.
In the event you’re not getting First Support Equipment, go test it out.
Emily: Whereas we have been reporting this story, we revealed a information there: Prepare, emotionally and financially, for 2026 medical health insurance.
Dan: It has hyperlinks to sources we talked about right here, and we’ll have extra on this week’s First Support Equipment.
What you wanna do is go tor at Arm and a Leg present dot com, slash, first help package.
You’ll discover the entire archive there — together with notes about truthfully, some extraordinarily thrilling tasks that Arm and a Leg listeners are doing — and how one can pitch in.
We’ll be again with one other podcast episode in just a few weeks. Until then, maintain your self.
Emily: This episode of An Arm and a Leg was produced by me, Emily Pisacreta
Dan: and me, Dan Weissmann.
Emily: With assist from Janmaris Perez and Lauren Gould.
Dan: And edited by Ellen Weiss.
Dan: Adam Raymonda is our audio wizard. Claire Davenport is our engagement producer.
Dan: Our music is by Dave Weiner and Blue Dot Periods.
Dan: Bea Bosco is our consulting director of operations.
Massive because of Lynne Johnson, who simply wrapped up her run as our operations supervisor. Lynne, your work has carried out SO a lot to make our work extra sustainable. I can’t thanks sufficient.
Dan: An Arm and a Leg is produced in partnership with KFF Well being Information. That’s a nationwide newsroom producing in-depth journalism about well being points in America — and a core program at KFF: an unbiased supply of well being coverage analysis, polling, and journalism.
Dan: Zach Dyer is senior audio producer at KFF Well being Information. He’s the editorial liaison to this present.
Dan: An Arm and a Leg is Distributed by KUOW — Seattle’s NPR station.
Dan: And because of the Institute for Nonprofit Information for serving as our fiscal sponsor.
Dan: They permit us to simply accept tax-exempt donations. You may study extra about INN at INN.org.Dan: Lastly, thanks to everyone who helps this present financially. You may take part any time at Arm and a Leg present, dot com, slash: assist.
“An Arm and a Leg” is a co-production of KFF Well being Information and Public Highway Productions.
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