Health insurance open enrollment for 2016 begins Nov. 1. That means it’s time to assess and review your health insurance needs. With the third enrollment period upon us, Americans have better options and accessibility to health insurance through the health insurance marketplaces than ever before.
To reach consumers, assisters are holding health care enrollment events in their communities during the open enrollment period. In Concord, consumers are invited to “Get Covered and Stay Covered Concord!” Healthcare Enrollment Day on Nov. 7. It will be held at the Boys & Girls Club in Concord, 55 Bradley St., from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reservations are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome. To reserve a place for personal assistance, please call 228-2830, ext. 175.
Remember, if you choose not to have insurance for 2016, you may have to pay a fine of $695 or 2.5 percent of your income – whichever is more. So it makes sense – both for your health and your wallet – to explore your options and find a plan that fits your needs and budget.
For most people who signed up with marketplace coverage, who are happy with their current plan, and who confirm with the marketplace that they haven’t had a change in household income or other major life changes, little needs to be done to stay covered.
But it’s important for everyone, re-enrollees and those new to the marketplace, to know their options, said Marilyn Sullivan, certified Navigator and Project Coordinator for Outreach and Enrollment at Bi-State Primary Care Association, including what new options may be available this year.
New plans and new prices are offered on the health insurance marketplace every year. That means your options for plans, doctors and costs could all change, along with the amount of financial help you receive. By taking a few simple steps, you can make sure you’re getting the best option for your health care needs and the correct amount of financial help. Sullivan recommends consumers take the following steps: First, you should update your marketplace account to ensure you’re receiving the right amount of financial help. Given that 84 percent of enrollees received a tax credit to help make coverage affordable during the second enrollment period, this is a critical step for everyone to take. The updating process is easy. Re-enrolling consumers don’t have to start a whole new application, they just have to make sure their financial information and household size are up-to-date.
Next, you should shop around to see what new plans are available and make sure you’re getting the best plan for yourself and your family’s health care needs. The plans available in your area may have changed, so you may find a plan that better fits your needs, covers more services or is more affordable. Consumers can be helped by a certified enrollment assister at no cost if they need help doing that task.
Lastly, you will pick the plan that’s right for you. If your current plan is the best option, you can renew it. If you’ve found a better one, go ahead and sign up for it. For the smoothest transition to coverage, consumers should take action by Dec. 15 so they can start 2016 with the security and peace of mind of health insurance.
If you have any questions, want to talk through your options with an expert, get help with the enrollment process, there are free, in-person enrollment assisters available to meet with you in your area. Just visit CoveringNewHampshire.org and click on the “Get Help” tab for a certified assister near you.
The good news is that New Hampshire consumers are benefiting from the discounts provided by the Affordable Care Act. Seventy percent who were signed up qualified for an average tax credit of $244 per month through the marketplace and 43 percent obtained coverage for $100 or less after any applicable tax credits in 2015. As a result of better options and access to health insurance coverage, the New Hampshire uninsured rate fell from 13.8 percent in 2013 to 12.8 percent in 2014. Ensuring access to medical care lowers costs for all, reduces absenteeism at work and school, and most importantly, helps people get and stay well. Thanks in part to the outreach efforts by community organizations in New Hampshire, 53,000 consumers were enrolled in quality and affordable health insurance coverage through the marketplace by Feb. 2015, helping consumers to get covered and stay covered.
In the coming open enrollment period that begins Nov. 1 and continues through Jan. 31, 2016, certified assisters will be doing everything possible to reach the remaining uninsured, while making sure the newly-insured keep the peace of mind that comes with affordable coverage for years to come.
For more information about your options, call Sullivan at 228-2830, ext. 160.
