Question: I have been paying the Blue Shield premium for my 52 year old son who lives in my home. He is unemployed and because he has a pre existing condition I didn’t want him to loose coverage. The current rate is $435 a month for basic plan ($5500 deductible.) While he filed a tax return last year with AGI of under $2,000 I declared him a dependent on my return. Can he qualify for the exchange and if so must he use household income (my income)? Because I can’t afford the premium I have been considering cancelling the policy but continue to borrow from credit cards to keep the policy in place. How can I get my son switched over to the exchange with applicable subsidies?
Answer: Your son will be eligible for Medi-Cal based on his income. In this case, the fact that you claim him as a dependent will not be an obstacle to his eligibility. Your son can be enrolled in Medi-cal anytime after October 1, but his coverage will not be effective until January 1, 2014.
If I claim my son as a qualified dependent, who is unemployed and I have paid for all of his living expenses, will it effect his Medi-Cal insurance coverage?