Affordable Care Act Enrollment for 2017
Whether you’ve previously taken out a Marketplace policy or are deciding to purchase your first one, now is the time to do so; the standard enrollment period recently started on November 1st. While the Affordable Care Act may experience changes over the next year, citizens in Connecticut and across the country still have the opportunity to get coverage.
If you use an agent’s recommendations or seek coverage on your own through Access Health CT, there are a few things to keep in mind as you go through the enrollment process.
Dates: The enrollment period for 2017 began on November 1st and lasts through January 31st, 2017. During this period, you can enroll at any time, but for the rest of the year, you can only get coverage with a qualifying event.
Qualification for the Special Enrollment Period requires a major life event (i.e. moving, losing your current health care coverage, getting married, having a baby or adopting a child). If you do qualify, you have 60 days after that date to enroll in ACA coverage through Access Health CT.
If you miss this window or if you don’t qualify, you can wait until the next enrollment period or get another form of coverage like Medicaid. Keep in mind that, under the ACA, you can only go without coverage for less than three months. If you go beyond that period, you’ll be charged a penalty.
Under one special circumstance, you may be able to extend your deadline. For certain individuals who started using the Access Health CT website to register, but didn’t complete enrollment by the deadline may be able to finish and sign up for coverage after January 31st.
Coverage: If you enroll by December 15th, your coverage kicks in on January 1st, 2017. However, if you enroll after this point, you need to wait until February 1st for your policy to begin.
Premium Increases: Across the country, premiums are experiencing double-digit increases for the upcoming year. ACA policies are no different, but if you’re receiving financial assistance in the form of “premium tax credits,” this amount takes the sharp jump into account and compensates you for the difference.
Carriers: As you may have heard in the news, fewer insurance carriers are offering ACA plans for 2017. Anthem and ConnectiCare are still participating in Connecticut.
Have any questions about ACA coverage or need assistance? Turn to Ion Insurance, whether you need to renew your plan or get new coverage for 2017. For more information, give us a call at 203.439.2815.
