So what is the Insurance Marketplace?
Question: So what is the Insurance Marketplace?
Answer: Well basically the Insurance Marketplace was established under provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and was designed specifically to help people in the US without health coverage enroll in a high-quality plan either online, by phone, or with a paper application.
Question: So why is health insurance coverage important to me?
Answer: Health insurance protects you from unexpected, high medical costs. You pay less for covered in-network health care, even before you meet your deductible. You get free preventive care, like vaccines, screenings, and check-ups, even before you meet your deductible. If you have a Marketplace plan or other qualifying coverage, you don’t have to pay the fee that many people who don’t have coverage must pay.
More importantly it protect you from health insurance companies abuses like dropping you from coverage after you get sick…etc.
Question: Sounds good – so how do I apply?
Answer: Ok that’s the easy part –
1) To apply online visit https://www.healthcare.gov/
2) To apply by phone call or finish an application, compare plans, enroll or ask a question 1-800-318-2596 TTY: 1-855-889-4325
When you apply they will tell you if you qualify for:
- A health insurance plan with savings based on your income. Most people who apply qualify for premium tax credits that lower the costs of coverage. All plans cover essential health benefits, pre-existing conditions, and preventive care.
- Deadlines: Enroll by December 15 for coverage starting January 1, 2015. You can enroll until February 15, 2015. After that, you can’t get 2015 coverage unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
- Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). These programs provide free or low-cost coverage to millions of families with limited income. Many states are expanding Medicaid to cover more people. See if your state is expanding coverage.
- No deadlines: You can apply for Medicaid and CHIP any time of year. If you qualify, coverage can begin immediately.
Question: Can’t you tell me first if I qualify before I apply?
Answer: Well yes, we can?
To see where you stand before you submit an actual application use the Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator – which provides “estimates” of health insurance premiums and subsidies for people purchasing insurance on their own in health insurance exchanges (or “Marketplaces”) created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
With this calculator, you can enter your income, age, and family size to estimate your eligibility for subsidies and how much you could spend on health insurance.
You can also use this tool to estimate your eligibility for Medicaid. As eligibility requirements may vary by state, please contact your state’s Medicaid office or Marketplace with enrollment questions.
Click here for website featuring the Calculator http://kff.org/interactive/subsidy-calculator/
Explore options:
See video: How to pick the best health insurance plan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yxWT4UVZNY