When it comes to The Affordable Care Act, there is always some confusion regarding deadlines and when to enroll in a health plan. Healthcare.gov sent out many reminders to clients letting them know that December 15th was the deadline to have a health plan start on 1/1/2016. Then, another reminder came up letting people know that the deadline was moved to 12/17/2015.
Open Enrollment will end on January 31, 2016. This means that you still have time to enroll into a health plan. If you had a health plan in 2015 and didn’t take any action to change that plan before 12/17/2015, you would have been automatically enrolled into the same plan (or a very similar plan if that one is not available). With that said, your 2015 plan will still be in effect and you will have coverage on 1/1/2016.
If you enrolled in your health plan on Healthcare.gov and automatically enrolled into the same plan, it is still of utmost importance that you update your application. This means that it would be best to log on to your account and make any changes to your personal information such as address changes or income changes. You may find that your savings on your plan may not be as accurate as possible or may even find another plan that works best for you. Although savings is important, it is also about where you go for your health care. Networks may have changed with your current plan and you want to make sure that you will still be able to go to the doctor of your choice.
If you did automatically enroll into a plan for 2016 and the plan didn’t meet your needs in 2015, you can change it. A few dates to keep in mind are:
Enroll into a new plan by January 15, 2016 – Your coverage will begin on February 1, 2016
Enroll into a new plan between January 16, 2016 and January 31, 2016 – Your coverage will begin on March 1, 2016
January 31, 2016 – Open Enrollment will end for 2016 coverage. This means that unless you qualify for Special Enrollment Period, you will not have health coverage in 2016. With the penalty rising in 2016 for individuals not having a qualified health plan to $695.00 per adult or 2.5% of your income, whichever is higher; it is a good idea to know your options.
Some insurance companies did go up in premium for 2016 as opposed to 2015. Besides premiums, deductibles may have risen too. If this happened to you, know that you do have other choices. Terri Trepanier, the owner of Balanced Care, is certified to offer health plans both on and off of Healthcare.gov. She can let you know if you qualify for a subsidy which could reduce your premium and in many cases, may even reduce your deductible. January 31, 2016 will be the date to keep in mind if you aren’t happy with your rising premium or deductible going up.
We know that questions will always come up when it comes to enrolling into a health plan. You can get a quote by clicking on our “No obligation Quote Button” or if it easier for you, give me a call at 603-817-3949 or e-mail me at terri@balancedcarehealth.com. Please know that your questions are welcome and Balanced Care is here to guide you every step of the way.
Terri Trepanier is the owner of Balanced Care Health and Supplemental Insurance and a licensed broker in Maine and New Hampshire. Her specialty is working with small businesses, individuals, and families with their health and life insurance needs. She is certified to offer health plans both on and off the exchange and is contracted with every health insurance company that offers plans in both New Hampshire and Maine. Her other passion is assisting Medicare beneficiaries with their Medicare Supplemental, Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans, and Medicare Advantage plans. Terri has seen firsthand the importance of insurance products and how they help families. Her goal with Balanced Care is to “Insure Security and Peace of Mind One Family at a Time”.