ACA is still in effect — and enrollment window is closing

Nov. 27--Questions about the future of the Affordable Care Act under President-elect Donald Trump hover as the open enrollment period is in mid-swing -- and some locals worry people might miss the signup in the confusion.

Trump has said he will ask Congress to repeal the Affordable Care Act, often called Obamacare, on the first day of his administration, but there is no guarantee about what will happen, Yuba County spokesman Russ Brown said.

"Things may not happen overnight, and right now the law of the land is Obamacare," Brown said. "I wouldn't want people to miss the enrollment period."

Everyone is required to have health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act, and there is a range of services and prices available, including full, partial or no subsidy health care, Brown said. The open enrollment period for Affordable Care Act began Nov. 1 and runs through Jan. 31, but the enrollment deadline to receive coverage by Jan. 1 is Dec. 15.

The only way to enroll in or change an Affordable Care Act plan outside of the open enrollment period is if there is a life milestone such as getting married or losing a job, Brown said.

Medi-Cal is an option for people who make less than $1,367 per month and for families of four who make less than $2,319 per month. Enrollment for Medi-Cal is open all year, said Alex Rodriguez, an analyst for Yuba County Health and Human Services.

The income cutoff for the Affordable Care Act is $3,923 per month for individuals and $9,470 per month for a family of four, Rodriguez said.

Navigating the health care marketplace has gotten easier since the first open enrollment period in 2013, when website problems and first-time jitters created headaches for people applying.

"CoveredCA.com is a great resource for customers to apply for any of the insurance affordability programs," Rodriguez said.

CoveredCA.com has a shopping comparison tool which allows people to enter income, family size and other information to preview the plans they may be eligible for. The application process has been streamlined with a system called CalHEERS, which reduced the amount of paper verification needed for enrollment, Rodriguez said.

To enroll in the Affordable Care Act or Medical, log on at www.coveredCA.com, call 800-300-1506 or go to county health and human services departments or certified private insurance agents.

CONTACT reporter Kirk Barron at 749-4796.

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