What they are saying is that the $150K figure includes unemployment, even if it's what puts the taxpayer over the $150K mark and would otherwise be excluded.

I'm not sure that's what the law says.  It creates a new Section 85(c) that says Section 85 is to be disregarded when determining modified AGI.  Does that mean disregard the requirement that unemployment be included in income?  Or disregard the possible exclusion?