Premiums up as Obamacare open enrollment starts
That's because one-third of last year's 62 plans, including more than a dozen from
For millions of Americans, open enrollment is the time to go online to switch insurance plans or sign up for coverage for the first time. Those who switch might be able to save money. And those who sign up can avoid costly penalties.
Throughout much of the country, rates are going up. In the 37 states, including
In the nine insurance regions of
For the
"So no matter what your income is, you should be able to find a plan," said
Eight insurance carriers -- the same number as last year -- are competing for customers in the insurance region that encompasses the
"A significant portion of our ACA enrollment was new to Highmark," he explained. "Our ACA members have been sicker than anticipated."
The open enrollment period will run through the end of January. Current policyholders who don't switch plans by
Such a passive approach, however, could be costly, according to health law experts. They're urging people to explore options since the marketplace includes so many new plans, and also because the rates and other terms of some existing plans have changed.
Take, for example, one of the most popular plans in the
After tax credits, nearly eight in 10 returning marketplace consumers will be able to buy a plan with premiums under
"If consumers come back to the marketplace and shop, they may be able to find a plan that saves them money and meets their health needs,"
Meanwhile, people who are eligible for financial assistance but still don't get insurance face increasing penalties. Some of those without it in 2014 were forced to forfeit
The cost will go up to
Before the ACA, many people who wanted insurance had limited options because carriers could reject them or charge them higher rates for pre-existing conditions. But by end of the 2015 enrollment period that ended in February, more than 11.4 million consumers nationwide got insurance through either the federal marketplace or state-based exchanges, according to HHS. Millions of others have been covered through an ACA-mandated
The reconfigured HealthCare.gov website went live on Sunday, giving users an advance look at insurance policies and prices before the start of open enrollment. The site has been revised to include new, user-friendly features, such as streamlined navigation, simplified re-enrollment and a calculator that gives cost estimates based on the amount of medical services consumers expect to use under different health plans.
"Open enrollment starts Sunday, and new and returning customers will find quality health coverage at prices that fit their budgets," HHS Secretary
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SIGNUP HELP
"Navigators" help people sign up for health insurance through healthcare.gov. To find a navigator near you, contact the statewide help line: 877.570.3642 or [email protected].
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