Health Insurance At The Last Minute

Health Insurance At The Last Minute.
Attention last-minute shoppers: If you resolve to come by a health plan through one of the new health insurance exchanges, and you want coverage starting Jan 1, 2014, you must feat quickly. In most states, Monday, Dec 23, 2013 is the deadline for selecting a down that takes effect on the first day of the further year. "We would really encourage people to start now. Don't wait until the deadline to enroll," said Cheryl Fish-Parcham, representative director of health policy at Families USA in Washington, DC People trouble to leave themselves enough time to gather the information they need to finished an insurance application, select a health plan and pay the premium by the health plan's deadline.

The pre-Christmas mill-race to buy health insurance is another consequence of the troubled launch of the Affordable Care Act's HealthCare fleck gov website and website difficulties in a number of state-run healthfulness insurance exchanges. Since the October launch of the health exchanges, sign-up and premium-payment deadlines have been extended to give kinfolk more time to enroll for coverage, but the new cut-offs come amid the holiday rush. Many commoners aren't aware of the various deadlines under the law, sometimes called Obamacare.

What's more, the deadlines may shift by state and by health insurer, health insurance agents and brokers said. "There is a lot of confusion," said Anna Causey, blemish president of Combined Insurance Services Inc, a Pensacola, Fla-based benefits broker. Some kinsfolk mistakenly believe they have until Dec 31, 2013 to enroll in a procedure that takes effect on Jan 1, 2014. Others don't profit they could pay a federal tax penalty if they don't have health insurance in group by March 31.

Under the Affordable Care Act, most adults will pay a $95 penalty - or 1 percent of gain - in 2014 if they don't have health insurance coverage. The imprisonment rises to $695 - or 2 percent of income - by 2016. To shun the penalty, people must enroll in a plan by Feb 15, 2014 or qualify for an freedom from the penalty. If you're in the market for health insurance, here are some key dates to keep in mind: What's the most recent I can enroll in coverage for Jan 1, 2014? Consumers shopping on HealthCare speck gov, the federal portal serving individuals in 36 states, have until 11:59 PM ET on Monday, Dec 23, 2013, to enroll if they want coverage to embezzle signification on the first day of the new year.