Open enrollment in Obamacare started Saturday, and from the fact that there's no news stories blaring about it, it's clearly going well. If there were problems, believe me, we'd have been hearing about them. The first day's applications were
robust, at 100,000. That's people who got online and created accounts, but didn't necessarily go all the way through the process of plan selection. Numbers guru Charles Gaba
continues to document enrollments, and as always will be the first stop for everyone who cares to keep track of the success of this enrollment period.
In the meantime, people who are re-enrolling in an Obamacare plan have a month to do so, and people purchasing for the first time will have until February 15. In the event that you or someone you know falls into either of those categories, Kaiser Health News has five key tips to employ while you shop.
– Shop Around: Just because you’re enrolled in a policy now doesn’t means it’s the best deal for you next year. […]
– Don’t Get Billed Twice: Insurers have expressed concerns that if a consumer changes plans, problems with the federal website might keep insurers from learning of the change and consumers could get billed for both plans. […] Just in case, keep proof of payment to answer any billing questions and once you’ve cancelled the old policy watch your credit card statements or, if the payment was deducted directly from a bank account, watch those charges to make sure you aren’t paying for two policies. And don’t cancel your current insurance until you have confirmation from your new carrier that you’re covered.
– Find Out If You Qualify For Financial Help: Enter your most up-to-date income information on healthcare.gov or with your state exchange to see if you are entitled to receive a tax credit toward the cost of your health insurance.[…]
– Know All Costs: It’s not just the monthly premium that will cost you. Understand a policy’s out-of-pocket costs, things like co-pays, co-insurance and deductibles, before you enroll.[…]
– Get Help If You Need It: Confused? There are several ways to get help. Work with a local insurance agent or broker. Find one of the law’s trained navigators or assistors. Or call the federal consumer assistance center at 800-318-2596 for extra help or to find out if you eligible for a subsidy. Folks there can also help you enroll in a health plan or if you qualify, Medicaid, the federal-state program for low-income people.
It's not the simplest process there is, but purchasing your own insurance on the individual market never has been. All of these steps are key, though, for making sure you get the coverage you want at a price you can afford, and won't have any surprises down the road. This really can't be stressed enough for re-enrollees in particular. The changing policies on the exchanges, as well as any changes you've had in your financial situation, could mean that you qualify for more or less of a subsidy this year. You don't want to find out that's the case when tax time rolls around next year.