Health Insurance Marketplace Open Enrollment Thru January 31, 2017

NEW YORK, Dec. 20 -- The National Multiple Sclerosis Society issued the following news:

Maximize Your Health Insurance and Prescription Coverage During Open Enrollment

During open enrollment, you have the opportunity to research, understand your options and enroll in the best plan for you: the plan that offers the best coverage for the services and medications you need, at the lowest possible cost. Even if you like your current plan, costs and coverage may change in the coming next year.

Read more about health insurance and Medicare on our site.

MS Navigators are available to help you navigate resources and answer your questions at 1-800-344-4867 (regular business hours) or online.

Marketplace

Marketplace open enrollment is November 1, 2016 to January 31, 2017; deadline is December 19 to enroll in or change plans for Health Insurance Marketplace coverage that starts January 1, 2017.

During this open enrollment time, you can:

Enroll in a Marketplace plan for the first time

Re-enroll in a Marketplace plan. Current enrollees MUST re-enroll every year, or select and enroll in a new plan. If current enrollees do nothing, MOST will be automatically re-enrolled in the same plan.

Switch to a different Marketplace plan. If you switch to a new health plan that does not cover your current medications, treatments or doctor, ask for an exception to maintain temporary coverage of them to avoid interruptions in care.

Decisions should be based on the current law and plans currently available; change can take time.

Check your eligibility for a premium subsidy and access no-cost insurance help in your area at healthcare.gov or call 800-318-2596.

Read more about Marketplace on our site.( http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Resources-Support/Insurance-and-Financial-Information/Health-Insurance)

MS Navigators are available to help you navigate resources and answer your questions at 1-800-344-4867 (regular business hours) or online.( http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Helpful-Links/Contact-Us)

Medicare

Medicare Part D (prescription drug coverage) and Medicare Advantage open enrollment: October 15 to December 7 for coverage that begins January 1, 2017. During this open enrollment time, you can:

Enroll in a Part D or Advantage plan for the first time

Switch to a different Part D plan

Switch from a Medicare Advantage plan to original Medicare

Check your eligibility for a low-income subsidy, Medicare Savings Program or Special Enrollment periods.

Read more about Medicare on our site.( http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Resources-Support/Insurance-and-Financial-Information/Health-Insurance/Affordable-Care-Act)

MS Navigators are available to help you navigate resources and answer your questions at 1-800-344-4867 (regular business hours) or online.( http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Helpful-Links/Contact-Us)

Insured By an Employer Plan

If you or your loved ones rely on an employer's health insurance plan, make sure you know the dates of your open enrollment period. Seek to understand all the details about your plan's prescription medication coverage, whether your doctor and other providers are in the network, and costs to you including annual deductible, copays and co-insurance. Contact your benefits administrator or human resources department.

The document was originally issued on 15 October, 2016, but posted on 20 December, 2016.

[Category: Health Care]

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