Affordable Care Act Enrollment Starting
Nov.
Open enrollment continues through
The plans were created through the Affordable Care Act, also known as the ACA or Obamacare.
This is the eighth annual open enrollment for the ACA plans, which are available for those without health insurance through a job, Medicare, Medicaid or other source.
This year, 11.4 million consumers – including 196,806 Ohioans – are covered by these plans. Enrollment is roughly the same nationwide as last year and down from 206,861 in
The ACA remains a hot political issue, while advocates say health care needs for consumers are being lost in the shuffle.
The following answers are provided by
Q: Who can apply?
A: Most people are eligible to apply; however, not everyone is eligible for extra help paying for coverage. Immigrants who are here legally for five years are eligible for ACA insurance. AxessPointe has counselors who work specifically with the immigrant community.
Q: What are some
changes this year?
A: Again this year, there is a large marketing push by private health care plans, some of which do not offer the same protections under the ACA rules. Some could turn you down or charge you more if you have a pre-existing condition – protections that are included in the ACA plans.
Be sure to know what coverage you are buying. ACA-compliant plans offer the most benefits. That includes what's called the 10 essential health benefits, such as coverage of preventive services like mammograms, pregnancy and newborn care, mental health and addiction services and prescription drug coverage.
Private insurance websites may not show all plans that you would find on www.healthcare.gov, the official site for enrollment in ACA plans. There are many look-alike websites.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most insurance companies did not raise their premiums for 2021. In fact, according to the
going to cost me?
A: Costs vary according to plan, family demographics, income and ZIP code. There are tax credits available for some consumers, based on household income. All plans have a maximum out-of-pocket cap, meaning once you have paid that maximum, the plan will pay 100%.
For 2021 plans, the average national benchmark premium for a 27-year-old is going down by 2%, according to a recent report by the
Q. I'm uninsured. Am I required
to get health insurance?
A: No.
Q: If I had a plan last
year, does it roll over?
A: It depends. You may get a letter from your current plan. It is important to update your application on Healthcare.gov to ensure you receive 2021 premium tax credits and cost-share reductions, even if you are staying with the same company. If you don't update your application, the automatic renewal rates can be much higher than what you can get by signing up for that same plan on Healthcare.gov.
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