Open Enrollment officially ends January 31st, 2015 and after that date, you may not be able to enroll until the next AEP (Annual Enrollment Period), which will likely begin November, 2016.  If you have not yet enrolled in a health insurance policy for 2016, you still have time to do so, but don’t wait!  As the end of January approaches, it will become increasingly difficult to get through to the Federal Marketplace or submit applications online.  Due to high volume around effective date deadlines, very often these websites experience technical issues and you would be wise to complete your application a few days prior.

This is especially true if you are applying for a federal subsidy.  Due to the number of people trying to contact the Marketplace, you may have to wait on hold for hours at a time just to speak to a representative.  If you wait to submit your application, you could wind up in a situation where you miss your effective date altogether.

The good news for consumers is that the application for your federal subsidy can now be completed easily and efficiently!  It can be done online in less than ten minutes or you can call 888-765-5400 and one of our licensed and professional agents can assist you in submitting your application right over the phone.  Again, this process usually takes only a few minutes and the earlier you submit your application, the sooner you will have insurance cards in hand, giving you the peace of mind that comes from knowing you and your family are covered for 2016.

Keep in mind that although Open Enrollment does not officially end until January 31st, in order for your coverage to begin February 1st, you must submit your application by January 15th.  If you submit after that date, you will not have coverage until March 1st.

For more information on Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina insurance coverage, 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.

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.

Open Enrollment 2015 is just around the corner and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina is ready!  

Open Enrollment begins November 15th and runs through February 15th, so if you are currently uninsured, you will be able to apply and obtain coverage very shortly.  Although Open Enrollment will not begin until mid-November, you can begin getting prepared even now.  In fact, there are a number of questions you can ask yourself, as well as some important pieces of information you can gather so that you are as ready as BCBSNC to successfully navigate Open Enrollment 2015.

As you are considering applying for health insurance, there are a few important things to consider:

• Are you looking for a policy for yourself or are you including family members on your policy?
• Do you think you will qualify for a government subsidy? (Subsidies are based on your Modified Adjusted Gross Income and the number of people in your household)
• What kind of Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC health plan are you looking for?  Do you prefer a high deductible plan or something with co-payments?
• How important is the size of the network when it comes to health providers in your area?

Also, remember that if you are applying for a government subsidy, in order to secure an effective date of January 1st, you must complete your application by December 15th.

The Affordable Care Act has created a lot of change and because of that you may have a lot of questions.  Don’t let Open Enrollment overwhelm you.  BCBSNC wants to put you and your family members into a health plan that will offer you a large network of providers, preventive care covered at 100% and coverage you can count on in case of emergencies.  Finding the perfect plan is important and BCBSNC offers a variety of health plan options to best fit your family’s needs.

For more information on Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina health insurance coverage in North Carolina, 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.