You could have trouble enrolling in the ACA Marketplace if you froze your credit or filed a Fraud Alert. People who froze their credit after Equifax’s data breach may now have to rely on clearing that credit bureau’s ID-proofing hurdle before they can enroll in the Marketplace. A fraud alert can have the same effect…. Read More
Updated ObamaCare Deadlines! The deadline for 2018 coverage for ObamaCare’s federal marketplace was December 15th, 2017. See state specific extensions below.
Let’s keep it simple. You need to enroll or verify your health plan before December 15th to ensure that you have the coverage you want and the right cost assistance for 2018.
Are Immigrants Eligible for Medicaid or CHIP? Most lawful immigrants who have been in the United States for five years or more and meet residency requirements can enroll in Medicare or CHIP. Refugees, people seeking asylum, veterans and, in some states, pregnant women and children might be eligible for Medicaid and CHIP sooner. There are… Read More
What is the Best Supplement for Original Medicare? If you anticipate needing a significant number of health care visits or care in a facility, you may want to think about adding a Medicare supplement and Part D drug plan to Part A and Part B. Part B has an annual deductible of $183 for 2018…. Read More
Understanding Short Term Health Insurance Under the Affordable Care Act We explain short term health insurance and how it is different than major medical coverage purchased on the marketplace during open enrollment under the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare). Short term health insurance is typically a limited benefit health insurance. Short term doesn’t follow the new… Read More
The Issue We all need healthcare and health insurance, and the cost of medical care has exploded. We need to find a good way to manage the cost of insurance and care. The difficulty is compounded because wages and income have been stagnant for most of us. Even if you have a full-time job, you… Read More
What is Plan F, Plan G, and Medigap? Once you have Medicare Part A and B, you can buy either Part D along with a Medigap Plan F or Plan G or a Medicare Advantage Plan. We discuss your options. A Medigap Plan F Covers the Part A hospital and Part B outpatient deductibles Covers… Read More
Medicare Doesn’t Cover Everything; Supplemental Medicare Can Help Original Medicare doesn’t cover everything, and this can result in high costs and coverage gaps. Supplemental Medicare coverage like Part D, Medigap, or Medicare Advantage (Part C) can help. Understanding What Medicare Does and Doesn’t Cover and What You Can Do About It Medicare enrollees lack crucial… Read More
Most people who have coverage right now will be automatically re-enrolled in their plan (unless they take action), however, everyone should verify their plan.
More people than ever will be able to find a health plan for $75 or less per month after cost assistance under the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare).
What is ObamaCare? Understanding The Affordable Care Act (ACA) “ObamaCare” is a nickname for the healthcare law known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA). The law is often called the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for short. Many people are aware of the basics of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). They are aware… Read More
Trump’s move to cut Cost-Sharing Reduction assistance will likely result in lower premiums for those who qualify for Premium Tax Credits on Bronze, Gold, and Platinum plans.
We discuss how Trump’s announcement to cut cost-sharing reduction (CSR) subsidies will affect those who qualify for CSR assistance and those who don’t.
Short Term Coverage Vs. Major Medical Coverage Short term and major medical insurance plans both provide coverage in case of a medical catastrophe, but they have significant differences. Short-term plans are typically used to fill in the gaps between major medical coverage. They act as a temporary coverage and often offer lower premiums for less… Read More
We cover 5 steps to take to get the best medical insurance you can afford so you can get the best deal on health insurance available to you.
The White House announced that the Trump administration will no longer reimburse insurers for ObamaCare’s cost-sharing reduction subsidies.
The facts below are our original “ObamaCare facts” page. These ObamaCare facts will give you a sense of how things used to be and what has changed. See our up-to-date “ObamaCare” facts page here. It is easy to forget that time when women paid more than men for health insurance, or when you could be denied… Read More
How Can I Get Free or Low Cost Healthcare and/or Health Insurance? Free or low-cost healthcare options include marketplace insurance with cost assistance, V.A., Medicaid/CHIP, and Medicare. Sometimes people qualify for medical care because of membership in other groups or they can use clinics. TIP: If you don’t find what you are looking for, see… Read More
How Do I Use Healthcare.gov to Sign Up, Shop For Plans, Get Assistance, and Enroll in Health Insurance? We explain how to use the official Health Insurance Marketplace HealthCare.Gov to sign up, shop for coverage, get assistance, and enroll in a health plan. First, to get started, you will need to go to HealthCare.Gov and select your state… Read More
2018 Guidelines for Medicaid and CHIP We explain how to get covered under Medicaid and CHIP in 2018. Enrollment in Medicaid and CHIP is 365 days a year, so there is never a wrong time to see if you and your family qualify for assistance. The Basics of Medicaid and CHIP Each state has its own… Read More
How to Get Help With Health Insurance When Healthcare.gov is Down We explain what to do when the Healthcare.Gov Marketplace website is down during open enrollment. One option is to get help from a qualified broker. This can either involve calling a HealthCare.Gov approved broker, or calling HealthCare.Gov directly at 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325) (although if the… Read More
2018 Premium Tax Credits Under the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) We explain how Premium Tax Credits work on 2018 health plans under the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare). Tax credits can be taken in advance, or at tax time. In other words, ObamaCare’s Premium Tax Credits (PTC) can be paid to your insurer in advance as… Read More
Below is a copy of the 2015 study published on HHS, “The Potential Fiscal Consequences of Not providing CSR Reimbursement.”
Congress failed to fund the Children’s Health Insurance (CHIP) for 9 million kids and 1,400 Community Health Centers by the Sept. 30 2017 deadline.