ACA open enrollment period nears end
Since President
"I was worried about how much prices would increase," said Clark, 31, of
As it turned out, his 2018 premium will be 10 to 15 percent less than last year's.
Clark has depended on the ACA since health insurance exchanges opened for the 2014 enrollment period.
"I've been lucky. I've seen my out-of-pocket monthly expenses go down," he said of premiums.
The deadline to sign up for health insurance coverage through the ACA marketplace is Friday.
Nationwide, Watkins said, officials expected a 15 to 20 percent drop in ACA enrollments.
Before the ACA's open enrollment period opened on
However, from past experience, Watkins said the last week of enrollment always is busiest.
He fears all the talk about the federal government ending subsidies to insurance companies and skyrocketing premiums caused a tremendous amount of confusion and scared off some residents.
In truth, about 80 percent of current ACA enrollees still receive some sort of subsidy. And, even with all talk of premium increases, many people qualify for health insurance coverage at no cost.
That's
"A lot of people can get covered for nothing to
Monthly premiums take into account age and income.
In
In all, the chart Watkins handed out shows 16 age/income combinations that would pay no premium and 11 that cost less than
For all age brackets and incomes, anyone who chooses the gold plan pays a premium. The lowest is
Even residents who purchased insurance through the ACA in the past should consult with a navigator, said
"We definitely don't want people to take the risk and assume (ACA premiums are) unaffordable," Craig said. "It's certainly more affordable than incurring a lot of medical expenses."
Besides, residents need to remember the income tax penalty remains in place for those who opt not to buy health insurance.
In this region, people who earned
"But most folks did not get the increases that were projected," she said.
"What you don't know can hurt you," Craig said. "Everyone needs to know the facts. They shouldn't make decisions based on misinformation."
To consult with regional ACA navigators, call 270-852-2904 or 270-844-9624.
To review the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange chart that shows premiums based on income and age, go to healthbenefitexchange.ky.gov. On the home page, select 2018 Net Payment Examples and look at Region 2 information.
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