OP-ED: Affordable care act brings more decisions for students.

By 2014 every American, with few exceptions, will have to have some form of health insurance or face fines.

October 1 marked the first time Americans were able to shop for private insurance in health insurance marketplaces under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

Open enrollment runs between October 1st and March 31^st, but financial experts at the Wall Street Journal suggests holding off until December because plans bought through the exchanges won’t start until Jan. 1.

Many Americans will be eligible for government help to pay for their plans, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

The question remains, how will our government, on the brink of bankruptcy, be able to afford caring for those who can’t afford proper health care?

Helping those who are financially unable to care for their own well-being is the morally correct thing to do. However, with the deficits and financial problems this country faces it remains to be seen if Obamacare is any different from our current system.

Our government seems to be in a limbo. The government wants to help the less fortunate, but only at the expense of the middle and working class.

What varies with the plans is cost. Some plans will carry higher deductibles, while others will ask for higher co-pays. Costs will vary based on where you live.

The Congressional Budget Office also predicts employers will provide insurance for three out of every five Americans in 2014.

Starting in 2014, Obamacare will offer a number of new rights and protections that will benefit the American people.

Because of the Affordable Care Act, health insurance plans can’t refuse to cover treatment for pre-existing conditions. Coverage for your pre-existing conditions begins immediately, according to healthcare.gov. All insurance plans are required to cover preventative services and provide new health benefits.

The idea is that more healthy people will buy insurance, and the money the insurance companies save on them will cover the costs of insuring the older and sicker people who will now be in the insurance system.

While it seems like a system that can work, the government, as well as those in a position of power, both financially and politically, are afraid of change.

If you don’t sign up to get insurance, you’ll list that on your 2014 tax return.

The fee for the first year without coverage is $95 per adult and $47.50 per child.

Fortunately for us residing in the golden state, California is one of twenty states looking to expand Medicaid.

According to healthcare.gov, states choosing to expand Medicaid will expand the government’s resources to everyone under 138% of the poverty level. Medicaid coverage varies from state to state, but out-of-pocket costs are generally modest. Smoking status is not taken into account in Medicaid eligibility.

As sticklers for penny pinching and saving money, it’s time for us students to begin shopping for another bill to pay. However, this bill is much more important because starting next year it will be mandatory to have health insurance.

Students we have to continue to stay financially responsible and inquire about the different health insurance outlets. Whether it’s through your parents, or from your job, we must stay educated and get insured because the government will start charging us if we do not.

If you want to see what your bill may look like, the Kaiser Family Foundation has put together a calculator on their website at kff.org. The foundation provides an estimate of your costs depending on where you live and the kind of coverage you pick.