Affordable Care Act Information
Open Enrollment for 2015 Coverage
ol li { margin-bottom: 20px; text-align: left }
.the-background, #breadcrumbs { background: #20A7AF !important }
.name { color: #20A7AF !important; border-bottom: 5px solid #20A7AF !important }
.aca-buttons li {background: #20A7AF;
padding: 20px;
font-size: 11pt;
-webkit-border-radius: 10px;
border-radius: 10px;
text-align: center;
margin-bottom: 10px;
text-transform: uppercase;
font-weight: bold;
color: white;
width: 50%;}
.aca-buttons li a { color: white }
.whitebox, .whitebox a { color: black }
.whitebox a { font-weight: bold }
.whitebox { width: 90% !important; font-size: 10pt }
.whitebox hr { color: #20A7AF;
background-color: #20A7AF;
height: 5px; }
p { text-align:left }
Important Dates
Here are the most important dates for 2015 coverage
November 15, 2014: Open Enrollment starts — the first day you can apply for 2015 coverage
December 15, 2014: The last date to enroll for coverage that starts January 1, 2015
December 31, 2014: Date when all 2014 Marketplace coverage ends, no matter when you enrolled
January 1, 2015: The date 2015 coverage can start if you apply by December 15, 2014, or if you accept automatic enrollment in your 2014 plan or a similar plan
February 15, 2015: The last day to enroll in 2015 coverage. If you miss this deadline, you can’t sign up for a health plan inside or outside the Marketplace for the rest of 2015. The only exception is if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
CLICK HERE to see how the Affordable Care Act is helping people in your State
If You Are Renewing
Open Enrollment period: November 15, 2014–February 15, 2015
- REVIEW: Plans change, people change. Every year insurance companies can make changes to premiums, cost sharing or benefits and services they provide. Review your plan’s 2015 coverage to make sure it still meets your needs and you’re getting the best plan for you.
- UPDATE: Starting November 15, visit HealthCare.gov and log into your Marketplace account. Answer a few questions to get to your 2015 application – it will be pre-filled with your latest information from 2014. Step through each page of your application and make changes if you need to. This is important – even if none of your information has changed, you might be eligible for lower costs than last year! You also can call the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 to review or make updates over the phone.
- COMPARE: Log into your Marketplace account and follow the “Enroll To Do List” on HealthCare.gov to compare 2015 plan costs and benefits. New and more affordable plans may be available in your area this year. If you decide to stay in your current plan, follow the directions to search by that plan’s 14-digit ID – you can find the ID on the letter from your plan. Or, call the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 for help.
- CHOOSE: Choose a health plan for 2015. You can keep the same plan (as long as it’s still offered) or select a new one that better fits your needs. If you want to stay enrolled in your 2014 plan, use the plan ID in the letter you get from your health plan.
- ENROLL: The Marketplace open enrollment period begins on November 15th. Make sure to review, update, compare and choose by December 15th to have any changes take effect on January 1. Stay covered for 2015! Contact your plan to confirm your enrollment. Make sure to pay your premium.
If You Need To Enroll For The First Time
You can apply for Marketplace health coverage online, by phone, with a paper application, or with in-person help in your community.
No matter how you apply, you can fill out a single application and find out if you qualify for a health plan with premium tax credits and other savings based on your income, or for free or low-cost coverage through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
Apply online
To apply for coverage online, follow these 5 steps starting November 15, 2014:
- Create an account. You’ll provide some basic information, create a user name and password, and answer some security questions for added protection.
- Fill out your application. You can start an application for 2015 coverage as soon as November 15, 2014. Provide information like income, household members, current health coverage, and more. Use this checklist to gather the documents you’ll need (PDF).
- Get your eligibility results. See all the coverage options you qualify for. We’ll let you know if you qualify for a Marketplace insurance plan with premium tax credits and other savings based on your income and household size. We’ll also tell you if you qualify for coverage through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). We’ll let you know your next steps.
- Choose a plan. If you’re eligible to enroll in a Marketplace health plan, you’ll see all the plans available to you. Learn how to choose a plan that’s right for you.
- Enroll in a plan. After you pick a plan, you must complete your enrollment. Then contact your new insurance company to pay your first month’s premium by the due date. Learn how to complete your enrollment.
Apply by phone, paper application, or with in-person help in your community
Call to start or finish an application, compare plans, enroll or ask a question.
TTY: 1-855-889-4325
Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.
If You Do Not Have Health Insurance In 2015
The Open Enrollment period for 2015 coverage is November 15, 2014 to February 15, 2015.
Penalties
- If you haven’t enrolled in coverage by then, you generally can’t buy Marketplace health coverage for 2015 until the next Open Enrollment period for coverage the following year.
- If you’re enrolled in a 2014 Marketplace plan, your benefit year ends December 31, 2014. To continue health coverage in 2015, you can renew your current health plan or choose a new health plan through the Marketplace during the 2015 Open Enrollment period.
- If you don’t have health coverage during 2015, you may have to pay a fee. The fee in 2015 is higher than it was in 2014 — 2% of your income or $325 per adult/$162.50 per child, whichever is more.
