Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also called Obamacare, is in full swing! Don’t lose your chance to get health insurance by missing your application deadline! Here are some deadline reminders and useful tips to ensure you can get insurance with an effective date of coverage starting in 2019!
Important Obamacare Enrollment Dates
November 1, 2018: Open enrollment begins.
December 15, 2018: Open enrollment closes.
January 1, 2019: Your coverage begins (once your first premium is paid).
What is open enrollment?
Open enrollment is the period of time established by the ACA during which you can apply for and enroll in health insurance. and be guaranteed health coverage if you’re eligible. During open enrollment, health insurance companies cannot underwrite your application or require you to provide financial or medical information that could jeopardize your chances of getting health insurance
What will I need to enroll in Obamacare?
Proof of Income
If you’re applying for subsidized healthcare, you’ll need to provide evidence of your current or expected income for the upcoming coverage year:
- Paycheck stubs
- A signed letter from your employer
- State or federal income tax returns
Additional Information Required
- Marital status
- Household income
- Whether you have children or other dependants
- Social Security Numbers (SSN) for you and everyone in your household who is applying for insurance.
- If applicable, you may need to provide documents about your immigration status.
What happens if I miss open enrollment?
If you qualify for a special enrollment period…
You can still get health insurance outside of the standard open enrollment period, but only if you’ve experienced a qualifying life event, which must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Loss of job and/or expiration of COBRA coverage
- Moved to a new coverage area
- Recently divorced or married
- Recently became a widow or widower
- Aged out of your parents’ coverage
- Recently had a baby
If you don’t qualify for a special enrollment period…
If you missed open enrollment but haven’t had a qualifying life event, you may want to consider short-term health insurance until you’re eligible to upgrade to a major medical plan.
Remember, your window for enrolling in health insurance is closing! Open enrollment ends in less than one month! Get your application in by December 15th to get health insurance coverage for 2019. Connect with a Savers Health agent to get enrolled today!
