By Sofy Maxman, EI Blogger
The Affordable Care Act resiliently lives on in 2018, and as we enter November, so does the Open Enrollment period for Health Insurance! Starting the first of the month and lasting through December 15th, those who do not receive health care via their employer, and do not receive Medicaid or Medicare, are eligible for coverage through the ACA. Those who do not enroll by December 15th will be re-enrolled in their current coverage. Coverage for anyone who enrolls during the Open Enrollment period will start on January 1st, 2018, as long as you are up to date on your insurance payments. While you may have a plan that you are comfortable with, you should still check out the other options available, as there have been changes made under the new administration.
To preview the potential tax credit of your household plan, go here: https://www.healthcare.gov/see-plans/. You will be asked to fill in your zip code, as well as whether you are currently enrolled in a Marketplace health plan; the number of folks in your household; your age and sex; “potential risk factors” (i.e. tobacco user or pregnant); and your projected household income for 2018. You will then be given a rough estimate of your monthly tax credit, followed by a comparison of plans.
For a guide to “shopping for Obamacare”, see this article:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/11/01/us/healthcare-marketplace-insurance-obamacare-signup.html
In comparison to last year, the open enrollment period is shorter, with only six weeks granted within the period. Additionally, the website used to sign up will be “down for maintenance” on most Sundays. The Trump administration has increased the cost of some plans (Silver plans), and others have lessened (Gold plans). It should be noted that the “metal categories” do not reflect on the quality of care you receive, merely how you and your plan share costs.
For those thinking of enrolling, make sure to do the proper research before deciding which plan is best for you! To those of you with friends, loved ones, acquaintances, who are under the impression that Trump’s actions against ACA have revoked the law, steer them in the right direction! This law is standing up to many things that have tried to knock it down. Get enrolling!