practical advice for those who maybe totally unaware of the March 31 Affordable Care Act deadline
By Curt Cramer
Unless you’ve been seriously lacking in media access over the past several months, you have heard about the new healthcare law being enacted and the marketplace available therein (which is fully operational, and no longer stalling on those researching policies).
What you may be forgetting is that the deadline to be covered under the current open enrollment is March 31st. In fact, at the end of February about 3/4s of the uninsured actually had no clue according to a poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation. Those without coverage by the end of the month become liable for a fine of up to $95 according to the IRS. This fine can be withheld from your tax return, but the IRS will not be garnishing wages or putting the uninsured in jail. On next years tax return, the IRS will be verifying proof of insurance coverage, and the insurance companies will be required to provide such documentation to their customers.
A surge of information is to be expected all month long to reach the millions of uninsured here in the United States, with the Health and Human Services Administration alongside teams of insurers, medical care providers, and non-profit health organizations all pitching in to help people through the process at special events around the country. The campaign is also emphasizing subsidies (Health coverage that’s obtained through financial assistance from programs to help people with low and middle incomes) is available on a sliding scale on the site.
Of course, you’re probably wondering what exactly it is you need to do to get covered and make sure you’re squared away, and we’re here to help.
To enroll online: Get to an available internet source, head to HealthCare.gov, and follow the step by step process on the site. Some states even have their own marketplaces already & you will be directed there right from the start on the main federal website, so don’t worry if you are unsure.
If you prefer using the phone: Dial 1-800-318-2596, and start from there. You can also call them for any questions you have regarding the web page.
Remember: if you are currently insured, you do not need to apply. Most Americans fall under this category actually. More than 8 out of 10 residents have coverage already available through their workplace, or through Medicare and Medicaid programs. You can also buy insurance outside of the law and still benefit from the law’s consumer protections.
There are exceptions to the deadline as well. If you currently have coverage and somehow lose it at some point during the year (such as being laid-off from a job, having a baby, moving to a different state) you can then go onto the exchange and get a new policy outside the open enrollment period. For the lowest income residents, expanded Medicaid programs are available, and those who meet the requirements can sign up at any time, without deadlines. Then there’s also residents 65 and older who are eligible for Medicare, as standard in the US.
-Curt Cramer(@curtisremarc)
