Nearly two years into the Trump administration, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) – more commonly known as Obamacare – has neither been repaired nor replaced. Still there are changes that have been made and that do affect you and what you can expect in regards to your own personal healthcare coverage.
Enrollment on healthcare.gov (or through an exchange) is shorter than in years past, beginning on November 1, 2019 and running through December 15, 2019. Here are the other points you need to know.
Enrolling in 2019 Affordable Care Act
- As stated, open enrollment begins November 1 and ends December 15. If you miss that window, you will not be able to have ACA coverage in 2019 unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Qualifications for the SEP include losing your current health coverage, moving, getting married, having a baby, or adopting a child. If you qualify for an SEP, you generally have up to 60 days following the event to enroll in a plan.
- Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) are open for enrollment any time of the year, whether or not you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
- The plan chosen during the open enrollment period begins providing coverage January 1, 2019.
- State and federal exchanges (marketplaces) remain in operation for 2019 open enrollment. You can shop for and enroll in individual major medical insurance plans by utilizing these government exchanges, which also offer income based subsidies. While you can procure an off-exchange individual medical plan, they are not eligible for ACA subsidies.
- The biggest change to the 2019 Affordable Care Act is the removal of the individual mandate. While the mandate technically is still in the ACA, the tax penalty associated with periods of non-coverage has been removed as of January 1, 2019, making it essentially benign from this point forward. For more information on the current status of the individual mandate, call a health insurance advisor today.
- With the individual mandate removed, more healthcare options are likely available to you. Alternative coverage, hospital coverage, or short-term health insurances are all now a possibility depending on your health needs and budget. It is important to know the terms of all alternative coverages, which may not cover pre-existing conditions (for which the ACA guarantees coverage.) Ask a health insurance professional about the healthcare options available to you under the new provision.
If you are waiting for the 2019 Affordable Care Act open enrollment, you can prepare by visiting your doctor to determine if you have any changing medical needs, researching plans both on and off the exchanges, and speaking with professional health insurance advisors, and determining your best course of action during open enrollment. If you miss the open enrollment period, you can choose other coverages without penalty.
Anderson and Associates Insurance Group are here to help you look for the Florida health insurance plan which is perfect for you and your family. You can feel confident in our ability to walk you through the myriad of policy options, providers, premium structures and more, as we are licensed and well-versed on all aspects not only of the ACA, but of all insurance and healthcare plans. If you are in the Manatee County area, give us a call today to be completely prepared for the 2019 open enrollment period.
Remember, we don’t work for the insurance companies or the exchanges – we work for you!
