Sign up for health insurance coverage; deadline approaching fast

First aid kit stock image |Image courtesy Steve Buissinne via Pixabay, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — Since Open Enrollment began Nov. 1, 2015, nearly 8.7 million consumers signed up for health coverage through the HealthCare.gov platform or had their coverage automatically renewed, including 153,222 in Utah.

Released two days before the Jan. 15 enrollment deadline for coverage starting Feb. 1, this enrollment snapshot includes the number of people who selected a plan or were automatically re-enrolled within local media markets.

This localized data provides another level of detail to better understand total plan selections within local communities. As of Jan. 9, 153,763 consumers in the Salt Lake City market area had selected or were automatically enrolled in a plan.

“Consumers have only two days left before the Jan. 15 deadline to sign up for coverage starting Feb. 1,” Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell said. “We saw unprecedented demand for Jan. 1 coverage and continue to make steady progress signing up new customers as open enrollment proceeds. We are focused on educating customers about the affordable options at HealthCare.gov and providing them the help they need to make the best coverage choices.”

Some Designated Market Areas (DMAs) include one or more counties in a state that is not using the HealthCare.gov platform in 2016. Plan selections for those DMAs only include data for the portions of these areas that are using the HealthCare.gov platform, so the cumulative totals in the snapshot do not represent plan selections for the entire DMA.

In addition, some DMAs cross into multiple states that use the HealthCare.gov platform and those totals are cumulative for all HealthCare.gov states in that DMA. Because some communities do not fall into a DMA, cumulative plan selections for local markets will not total the national cumulative plan selection number. The full list of enrollment data broken down by market is available here.

Five facts about Open Enrollment in Utah:

  1. Enrollment is off to a strong start. Since Open Enrollment began Nov. 1, 2015, 153,222 Utah consumers have selected a plan or were automatically re-enrolled.
  2. Financial help is available. In the first month of Open Enrollment, 86 percent of Utah consumers who selected health insurance plans were determined eligible for financial assistance to lower their monthly premiums.
  3. Time is running out. For plans starting Feb. 1, people must sign up at HealthCare.gov by Jan. 15.
  4. There’s still time to make changes. If you had coverage in 2015 and learned that your plan was automatically renewed for 2016, you still have time to shop plans and make changes. If you find a better plan for your family is available, you can change plans at any time before the end of Open Enrollment Jan. 31.
  5. Picking a plan and signing up for coverage is easier than ever. Every year there are new ways to make signing up for a plan simpler. You can even apply on a cell phone.

Free, expert help is available

If you have questions about signing up or want to talk through your options with a trained professional, free help is just a call or click away.

  • Online: Information is available at healthcare.gov or CuidadoDeSalud.gov.
  • By phone: Call-center representatives are available to help all day, every day at 1-800-318-2596. TTY users should call 1-855-889-4325. Assistance is available in 150 languages. The call is free.
  • In person: Consumers can find local help by going online.

About the Health Insurance Marketplace

Open Enrollment for 2016 coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace began Nov. 1, 2015 and runs through Jan. 31. Consumers who enroll by the Jan. 15 deadline will have coverage starting Feb. 1. Consumers who enroll after Jan. 15 will have coverage effective March 1.

Visit HealthCare.gov to review and compare health plan options and find out if you are eligible for financial assistance, which can help lower monthly premiums and reduce out-of-pocket costs. To sign up for individual and family coverage, go online.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews

 

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