888-765-5400Only 10 Days Left – Open Enrollment Ends February 15th
With the holidays behind us and tax season looming, you may not realize that Open Enrollment is rapidly coming to a close, but it most certainly is. In fact, there are only 10 days left to finish your application for a Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina health plan and the application must be completed by midnight, February 15th. If you do not complete an application by the official end of Open Enrollment, you will not be able to purchase health insurance unless you have a Qualifying Life Event until Open Enrollment once again commences later this year.
If you are one of the many Americans trying to obtain a health plan for 2015 before the deadline, there are a few things to keep in mind. First of all, under the guidelines of the Affordable Care Act you are now required by law to carry health insurance or incur a tax penalty. The tax penalty is increasing in 2015: a minimum of $325 per year per person or up to 2% of annual individual income (whichever is greater). To avoid paying this tax penalty, you cannot go uninsured for more than three months in the calendar year.
Also, if you are applying for a federal subsidy to help reduce the cost of your health insurance premium, you must complete a subsidy application before choosing your health plan. As February 15th approaches, both the Marketplace website and phone lines will be busier and busier. The sooner you complete your application, the easier it will be. Keep in mind that not all plans offered through the federal Marketplace are equal. A Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina subsidized health plan offers the broadest network of providers in the state of North Carolina and because it is not an HMO, you will still have coverage even if you happen to go out of network.
If you complete your application for a subsidized health plan by February 15th, your coverage will begin March 1st and that is the soonest effective date available to you at this point. However, if you are applying for an unsubsidized health plan, you can still receive an effective date of February 15th if you complete your application by midnight, February 8th. Either way, all applications for health insurance must be completed by the end of Open Enrollment or be subject to the rules of Special Enrollment involving Qualifying Life Events.
For more information on Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina health insurance coverage, the Marketplace and healthcare gov to apply for your subsidy, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our experienced and professional agents. Let us help you navigate through the Health Care Reform changes in accordance with the new regulations of The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obama care.