Making it Easier to Apply for Health Insurance

22 May Making it Easier to Apply for Health Insurance

Posted at 16:49h in Health Insurance, Practical Tips by Triage Cancer

Credit: www.HealthCare.gov

We, here at Triage Cancer, have spent much of the last three years sharing information about the Patient Protection of Affordable Care Act (ACA) and how health care reform will impact those coping with cancer.

On October 1, 2013, open enrollment will begin for plans available in each state’s health insurance marketplace (a.k.a.: exchange). Consumers will be able to apply online, by phone, or by paper, when open enrollment begins October 1, 2013.

Coverage will begin under those plans on January 1, 2014. Plans sold in the exchange will not be able to deny individuals with pre-existing conditions, such as cancer, AND cannot charge individuals more because of their health status.

One more change was recently announced that makes it easier for people to apply for health insurance coverage through the health insurance marketplaces.

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) has reduced the application for individual health insurance coverage from 21 to just 3 pages. Consumers can fill out one application to find out if they are eligible for:

Medicaid
Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
Private Health Insurance Plans in the Health Insurance Marketplace
Tax credits that will help pay for health insurance premiums

Check out the sample application for single adults. When these applications start being used in October, people will also be able to apply through an online form that will be interactive. The application may be even shorter, depending on an individual’s answers to the questions.

Check out the sample application for families. There will also be an application for individuals who don’t qualify for financial assistance with health insurance premiums.

For more information about the Health Insurance Marketplaces, visit: www.healthcare.gov/marketplace/index.html or check out this video!

For more information about health care reform, visit www.HealthCare.gov.

Over the next few months, many details will be released about how health insurance coverage will look in 2014. Stay tuned, and we will share them with you here!