N.M. sees higher number of early sign-ups at healthcare.gov
The deadline for enrolling in individual plans on the healthcare.gov platform is
The healthcare.gov site is managed by the
Those with an income that falls above the threshold to qualify for the aid can go directly to individual insurers or other websites.
Workers enrolled in group health plans through their employers have an entirely different sign-up process, as do Medicare and Medicaid patients.
The individual health market has been the most volatile in the government-subsidized market. The federal Affordable Care Act, which requires most people to have health insurance or to pay a fine when they file their tax returns, was in part designed to bring this largely uninsured population into the health care system with more competition and stability. The mandate for coverage was an attempt to broaden the insurance pool to better share costs between those who are healthy and those who need more care.
The mandate, as well as the expansion of the government Medicaid program for low-income people, has pushed the uninsured rate in the state to about 10 percent of the population, down from 20 percent before the law went into effect.
Republican President
But having insurance is still required under the federal law, and health advocates in the state are trying to send a message that there are just a few more weeks to find a plan that begins
The state's largest health insurance provider, Presbyterian, is offering individual plans outside the exchange portal without subsidies.
"The people who qualify for subsidies are doing great, better than ever before," Hatfield said. But more middle-income families are being hit with large increases and have had to pare down their coverage or go without.
Meanwhile, the
Office spokesman
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Insurance Superintendent
Other information is available from the website Bewellnm.com, including a list of registered brokers, hours and locations for free help centers, and a way to get information over the telephone.
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