The Open Enrollment Period for purchasing health insurance on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace is usually only from November 1 - December 15, unless you experience a qualifying life event. But this year, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Biden Administration opened up a Special Enrollment Period so Americans would have the…

Covid-Related Health Insurance Special Enrollment Extended!
President Biden, in his first weeks in office, implemented some major policies meant to offer relief during the coronavirus pandemic. One of the things he did was open a COVID-related Special Enrollment Period that is allowing Americans to enroll in Marketplace health insurance plans or change their plans without experiencing a qualifying life event. The…

Individual State Health Insurance Taxes To Watch Out For
It’s tax time again! In addition to the federal and state taxes you are required to pay, this year you might find yourself getting hit with a tax penalty for not having health insurance. But how? After all, after multiple court battles, the health insurance mandate penalty, also known as the individual mandate penalty, was…

COVID Special Health Insurance Enrollment Period Now Open Through May
Many Americans have lost their jobs, have had to change jobs, and are simply struggling financially because of the coronavirus pandemic. Some have lost their health insurance or are now underinsured. In an effort to help, President Biden issued an Executive Order on January 28 that will provide a COVID-related Special Enrollment Period (SEP) beginning…

Open Enrollment For New Yorkers Extended Until March 31
The coronavirus pandemic has not only created hardship for many Americans, but it has also created a greater need for access to affordable healthcare. The governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, is showing that he sympathizes, announcing on January 21 that the Open Enrollment Period for applying for health insurance in the state’s Marketplace has…

Missed Open Enrollment? Consider A Short-Term Plan
Was your fall so busy with work and holiday prep that you totally missed Open Enrollment? The Open Enrollment Period began November 1 and ended December 15, and, for some, a little over a month to sign up for health insurance is barely enough time! You were probably too busy to even begin researching plans,…

Preparing For Health Insurance Open Enrollment: Tips To Save Money
The Health Insurance Open Enrollment Period is over. To get the most savings, this year take a deep dive into all the plans available in your area, instead of just renewing your health insurance plan out of habit. If you use the following tips, you might find that there is a plan that covers all…

Preparing For Health Insurance Open Enrollment: Added Healthcare
Health insurance plans change from year to year. Sometimes prices will change, and coverage will change: some things will no longer be covered, and some benefits will be added to your plan. As you look into plans for next year, you might find some newly added healthcare benefits are now included, like telemedicine, which is…

Preparing For Health Insurance Open Enrollment: Employer Checklist for Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment for health insurance has begun. This period gives employers and employees the opportunity to change their benefit options, and many companies use this time to review their employees’ health insurance plans to see if they can find ways to save money or improve coverage. The opportunity for business owners to save money during…

Preparing For Health Insurance Open Enrollment: 2021 ACA Premium Rates
Open Enrollment begins on November 1, and the 2021 premium rates for ACA plans have now been announced. Rates will be increasing slightly, because insurance companies have had to shoulder the costs of the free coronavirus testing and treatments mandated by Congress. This no-cost testing and treatment has left insurers with a $103 billion dollar…

Renewing Your Health Insurance? Here Are Some Helpful Tips
It’s easy to simply purchase a health insurance plan, get comfortable with it, and not review it at the end of your year-long policy period. But if you automatically renew your plan and don't look at other options, you could be missing out on savings, or a plan that provides more coverage. When you receive…

Preparing For Health Insurance Open Enrollment: 2021 Health Insurance Enrollment CheckList
Open Enrollment is less than 2 weeks away (November 1- December 15), so make sure you’re prepared! Whether you are enrolling in an individual health insurance plan for the first time, renewing your current plan, or seeking to change your current plan, follow the checklist below. Going through these steps will help you better understand…

Can You Cancel Your Health Insurance Policy?
The time has come and you have decided that you want to part ways with your health insurance plan. But can you actually cancel your policy? To answer the question, yes and no. You can cancel your health insurance policy, but if you do it at the wrong time, you can end up with a…

Texas Judge Rules Obamacare Unconstitutional- What This Means For The Future
Just before Christmas, a federal Texas judge, Reed O’Connor, ruled that the entire Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, was unconstitutional. This all began December 2017, when President Trump eliminated the individual mandate from Obamacare. The individual mandate was the penalty people had to pay during tax season if they did not get health…

Cost Sharing Reductions: Do You Qualify?
At times people are unaware if they qualify for cost-sharing reductions. Cost-sharing reductions are a discount that lowers your deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance. Your household and income is what determines if you qualify for these extra savings in health insurance. When you sign up for health insurance, you will find out if you qualify to…

OEP Deadlines and Extensions
Are you completely happy with your health insurance? The 2019 open enrollment period has officially begun on November 1st, and will continue until December 15, 2018, lasting six weeks. During this time is when you can sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Last year was the first time the enrollment was…

Double Check Your 2018 Information Now!
When enrolled in a Marketplace Insurance plan, it is important to make sure your household information is up to date every year. There may be benefits you are missing out on and possible consequences if you do not update. What Changes To Report Changes to your income for the year, whether a raise or demotion…

Short Term Plans Continue to Be Cheaper Than ACA Plans
Short term health insurance plans have taken the spotlight in the news due to Trump announcing the extensions of short term plan durations. Rather than having a limit of 3 months, it has been extended to a year. If you are thinking of choosing between a short term plan and a long term insurance plan,…