Are you prepared for the 2019 open enrollment period?

First, a quick refresher on open enrollment: Open enrollment refers to the deadlines established by the Affordable Care Act during which you can apply for health insurance and be guaranteed coverage.

Missing out on open enrollment makes it harder for you to get healthcare coverage and can make the process of getting health insurance more expensive, more complicated, and more of a risk, since you might get turned down for pre-existing health conditions or tricky underwriting processes. So, don’t miss open enrollment!

Here are the important dates you’ll need to know and a list of resources to have handy when you’re ready to apply for health insurance.

Open Enrollment Dates:

• Medicare (for eligible applicants 65 and up)
  October 1 – December 7

• Individual ACA-compliant plans (AKA: everyone else)
  November 1 – December 15

Important Documents You’ll Need:

Proof of Income

Part of the goal of the Affordable Care Act was to make health insurance coverage more accessible, regardless of income. The ACA addresses healthcare affordability by administering subsidies depending on each applicant’s’ household income. Don’t assume you don’t qualify, a family of 4 can earn over $100,000 and still receive a subsidy!  If you do qualify for subsidized healthcare, you’ll need to provide records 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 questions and information you could be asked to provide:

• Household details: Whether you’re married or not, your spouse’s income, and whether or not 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.