LENOIR, NC (January 17, 2019) — Annual Enrollment is over. I’m talking the ACA (Affordable Care Act) Individual Health Annual Enrollment (AEP).
So, what does that mean? It means you cannot buy Individual Health insurance until the next AEP begins probably in November of this year. The exception to that is a Special Enrollment situation. What’s that?
Special Enrollment Period (SEP) is when you qualify for ACA Individual Health coverage during the year when it is not AEP. Special Enrollment situations can be: 1) loss of employer coverage, 2) moving, 3) loss of Medicaid, 4) having a baby, 5) getting married, 6) getting divorced, 7) going off COBRA, 8) turning 26 and going off a parent’s plan, etc. You do have to prove (with the help of your insurance agent) that you are in the SEP situation you claim before the Marketplace will release your application to the insurance company.
Do I have to have insurance? Isn’t the mandate to have it now removed in most states including North Carolina?
No and Yes. However, if you find yourself in a high dollar claim situation you mostly likely are going to want insurance so you have access to the best possible care.
What about these cheaper health insurance advertisements I see on TV, in magazines or on the internet? For one, those are _not_ major medical unlimited coverage ACA plans. There are only two carriers in North Carolina offering major medical. In our area, there’s only one. If you look closely at the fine print you will see they are limited coverage plans (Short Term Health, Hospital Indemnity, Critical Illness) which can be okay unless you have extensive claims, have pre-existing medical conditions or have a catastrophic medical issue. Those are truly designed for interim coverage such as changing jobs, graduating from college and starting a new job, retiring and waiting to go on a Medigap type plan, etc.
If I’m in a Special Enrollment situation, why shouldn’t I just go without insurance and/or take COBRA? Ultimately, you have to do what’s best for you. If you examine one major catastrophic claims situation you will find that going without coverage will probably cost, you way more than saving on monthly premium insurance plan payments not to mention it may limit the care you can get for any problem you may have. With COBRA it isn’t so much the kind of coverage you have as it is the expense. You can get a quote for ACA Special Enrollment Individual Health to see what your cost and coverage would be if you go this route.
Whatever you do, your coverage choices are up to you! Check with your local insurance agency that offers ACA Special Enrollment Individual Health for more information.
Bush and Associates has been offering ACA Individual Health and ACA Special Enrollment Individual Health since it became available in 2013. They have already made the Elite Circle of Champions with Healthcare.gov for 2019. Get in touch with them today for more information by calling (828) 754-2601, emailing quotes@bushandassociates.net or visiting their office at 916 Wilkesboro Blvd. in Lenoir. You can also visit their website at http://www.mynchealthplan.com
~Laura Sedlacek is an Agent with Bush and Associates insurance. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Lenoir-Rhyne.