Getting Ready To Get Health Care Insurance October 1

 

How can I get ready to enroll in the Health Coverage Marketplace?  www.blchc.org/

To prepare to enroll, you can learn about types of health coverage, research your questions, and figure out what you need to know before open enrollment begins.
Open enrollment starts October 1, 2013. Coverage can start as soon as January 1, 2014.

How to get ready now…

• Sign up for email or text updates about the Marketplace. We’ll let you know when there’s important new information about the Marketplace, and we’ll send timely reminders about important dates. You can also visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/healthcare.gov or follow @healthcare.gov on Twitter.
• Learn about different types of health coverage. Through the Marketplace, you’ll be able to choose a health plan that gives you the right balance of costs and coverage. You can be better prepared if you understand the types of coverage you’ll choose from.
• Make a list of questions you have before it’s time to choose your health plan.
• Make sure you understand how coverage works, including things like premiums, deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums, copayments, andcoinsurance. You’ll want to consider these details while you’re looking for health insurance.
• Gather basic information about your household income. Most people using the Marketplace will qualify for lower costs on monthly premiums or out-of-pocket costs. To find out how much savings you’re eligible for, you’ll need income information, like the kind you get on your W-2, current pay stubs, or your tax return. Use this checklist to get started.
• Set your budget. There will be different types of health plans to meet a variety of needs and budgets. You’ll need to figure out how much you want to spend on premiums each month.
• Ask your employer if it plans to offer health insurance in 2014. If not, you may need to get insurance through the Marketplace or from other sources in 2014. If you don’t have coverage, you may have to pay a fee.
• Explore current options. You may be able to get help with getting coverage nowthrough existing programs. Learn more about health insurance for adults up to age 26, and programs for people and children in families with limited incomes including Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Medicarecovers people who are 65 and older or who have certain disabilities.
• Find out which Marketplace will serve you. If your state runs the Marketplace, you’ll use its website to compare your options and enroll in coverage instead of this one. If your state doesn’t run the Marketplace, you’ll use this website, HealthCare.gov.

Questions? Call 1-800-318-2596, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. (TTY: 1-855-889-4325)
If you run a small business, learn how you can prepare for the SHOP Marketplace to provide coverage for your employees.