Unpredictable income: should I avoid Medicaid?

I lost my job earlier this year and purchased a plan on my state’s marketplace. My freelance income is highly unpredictable because some of it is large chunks of royalties that may or may not be paid in a given year. But I know for sure that it will be significantly lower than this year’s income. Even if I do receive the maximum royalties, I will qualify for a higher subsidy than I did this year.

When I talked to the marketplace rep about setting my estimated income for 2025, she said not to include any income I couldn’t 100 percent count on. If I only include income I can be sure of earning, I may qualify for Medicaid.

I just received a request for income verification. What are the risks of going on Medicaid, and should I take active steps to avoid it and keep my marketplace plan? Can I do that while still reporting a reduced income? I’ve tried to get in touch with an assistor, but the local health center is overloaded and not returning calls.

Age: 56. State: Vermont. Gross annual income: $57k this year; could range from $19k to $32k in 2025 depending on the royalty issue, or possibly be more.

submitted by /u/lifeatthememoryspa
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