OAK HILL — For the average citizen, understanding 2010’s sprawling health care act may seem intimidating. A representative from West Virginians for Affordable Health Care (WVAHC) likens the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to a camel.

“It’s a horse designed by a committee,” says Gibbs Kinderman of WVAHC.

The new health care legislation might not be simple or familiar, but Kinderman and WVAHC are working to explain to West Virginians what they can expect out of the law now and in the future, distilling it into digestible presentations and printed materials offered up to the public at no charge.

Thursday, Kinderman presented the Fayette County Family Resource Network with an overview of the legislation and encouraged other organizations to host similar presentations.

“If your agency or group would like a presentation, we’d be more than happy to come,” Kinderman.

Rather than argue the merits of the legislation, the purpose of the presentation is to explain the law as it now stands.

WVAHC printed an informational brochure that guides West Virginians through the 2010 health care act, and reforms that will kick in during 2014.

One goal of the ACA is to expand health coverage to 95 percent of Americans by 2016. Beginning in 2014, individuals must have a health insurance policy or pay a penalty.

Also in 2014, an estimated 122,000 low-income West Virginians will be eligible for health coverage under an expanded Medicaid system. A family earning less than 133 percent of the federal poverty level will now qualify for benefits.

Individuals and small businesses will be able to shop for and compare policies online.

“It’s like when you’re shopping online,” says Kinderman. “Many sites might compare products one to the other. That’s what this system will do. Every vendor will tell the same info about their policies so it’s easier to compare.”

Tax credits for individuals making between 100 and 400 percent of the federal poverty level will help offset the cost of coverage. The WVAHC estimates that 178,000 West Virginians will qualify for the credits.

“For example, a family of four with an annual income of $55,000 — their total monthly premium is $1,185 and the tax credits equal $840 a month or 70 percent of the premium,” Kinderman says. “So they will end of up paying $345 a month.”

Small business tax credits aim to increase affordability of group health coverage for small employers. About 42,000 West Virginia businesses employing 280,000 people are expected to qualify for the credits. Small non-profits will also qualify.

Starting this January, young adults under the age of 26 will be able to stay on their parents’ policy under the new law.

All this is just the tip of the iceberg. Kinderman and the WVAHC invite those who work with the public to help them spread information about how the act will affect West Virginians.

He told the Family Resource Network, “You are maybe the best suited as a group to get the word out to people and make them understand what their rights are under this program.”

More information on the effort to implement the provisions of the ACA in West Virginia can be found at www.healthreformwv. org.

An online calculator to determine your tax credits and premium costs is at www.healthreform. kff.org/SubsidyCalculator.aspx.

A wealth of training materials is available from WVAHC’s site, www.wvahc.org/aca_training.htm.

To request an informational presentation from WVAHC, contact Perry Bryant at perrybryant@ suddenlink.net.

— E-mail: cmoore@register-herald.com