Three Things to Know About Obamacare

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Here are three little public service announcements about Obamacare:

  • Enrollment is ahead of last year. But after the first week, things will get tougher. If you know anyone who uses Obamacare, tell them to get going NOW NOW NOW. Most of them have only until December 15 to sign up, and that will arrive sooner than they think.
  • Shop around! THIS IS IMPORTANT. The premium hikes due to Donald Trump’s elimination of the CSR subsidy have a very different effect on different plans. You might be able to get a bronze plan for free. You might be able to get a gold plan cheaper than a silver plan. If you’re lazy and just renew your current plan, it could cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars.
  • If you don’t get a subsidy, DON’T SHOP ON THE OBAMACARE EXCHANGE. Premiums have gone up a lot thanks to the CSR business, but if you go to a broker you’ll probably find off-exchange plans that aren’t affected by it. This could save you a ton of money. And if you don’t get a subsidy, there’s really no point to enrolling in Obamacare anyway.

Oddly enough, most people who qualify for subsidies will probably be able to buy health insurance more cheaply this year. But only if they shop around. I know that’s a pain, but it’s more important than ever thanks to Trump’s sabotage, and it means starting your shopping early. Be sure to spread the word.

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DECEMBER IS MAKE OR BREAK

A full one-third of our annual fundraising comes in this month alone. That’s risky, because a strong December means our newsroom is on the beat and reporting at full strength—but a weak one means budget cuts and hard choices ahead.

The December 31 deadline is closing in fast. To reach our $400,000 goal, we need readers who’ve never given before to join the ranks of MoJo donors. And we need our steadfast supporters to give again—any amount today.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do.

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