HHS Wants You to Meet Jamie

Continuing their ongoing effort to "educate" people on PPACA, HHS has introduced us to Jamie. Jamie is a 27 year old college graduate. She has been working at the coffee shop for four-and-a-half years and has never made more than $20,000 in a year.

Self admittedly, she really "has no plan...but that's just how her life has worked out." She hasn't been to the doctor since her junior year of high school. If she ever got really ill or injured she couldn't afford to pay for treatment. She doesn't have any savings and struggles to get by with all of her current bills.

For Jamie life with health insurance will provide her with "comfort and stability and safety". She's very eager to sign up for subsidized insurance.

Starting October 1st (maybe?) Jamie will be able to get the health insurance she so desires. Here is her scenario after running through the Kaiser Family Foundation subsidy calculator:

1. Purchase a Silver Plan: Cost to Jamie is $1,021 per year. She will also qualify for MOOP (Max Out Of Pocket) assistance under this plan which will lower her worst case scenario to $2250.
2. Purchase a Bronze Plan:  Cost to Jamie is $480 per year. However, if she takes this option she will not qualify for MOOP assistance and will face a worst case scenario of $6350.
3. Stay without insurance and pay Uncle Sam a "shared responsibility payment" of roughly $200 and role the dice that she will stay healthy.

I wonder what option Jamie will choose? Surely her Navigator will explain all of this and the implications behind each option.