Mark your calendars! The Health Insurance Open Enrollment Period for 2019 is rapidly approaching and at NC Health Plans, we are gearing up to assist individuals and families in applying for Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina Health Coverage for 2019. November 1^st to December 15^th marks a very important time period for health insurance known as the annual Open Enrollment Period. We know that navigating the insurance market can be overwhelming, and we are here to help! As we approach Open Enrollment, it is important to be aware of important dates and information about your 2019 health coverage. Read below to learn more about Open Enrollment Period for 2019.

When is Open Enrollment for 2019?

The NC Health Insurance annual Open Enrollment Period begins on Thursday, November 1^st and lasts through Saturday, December 15^th. This time period does not apply to non ACA-compliant plans, or ancillary plans such as dental or vision.

When Will Your Coverage Start?

If you enroll in a BCBSNC Health Insurance plan during Open Enrollment, your coverage start date will be January 1^st, 2019. This will also be your initial premium due date.

Applying is Easy!

The annual Open Enrollment Period for Health Insurance is the easiest time of year to enroll in an Affordable Care Act-Compliant plan, also known as “Obamacare”. ACA-compliant plans are required to cover the same set of essential health benefits under the Affordable Care Act laws. Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina offers the broad majority of these plans across the entire state.

During this time period, anyone shopping for individual or family Health Insurance plans can enroll in ACA-Compliant Health Insurance without having a Qualifying Life Event. In other words, individuals do not need a special reason to apply for health coverage during Open Enrollment. To get started on your application, generate a BCBSNC Health Insurance quote!

Is it Affordable?
One of the amenities of the Affordable Care Act is federal tax credits, also known as subsidies. Subsidies are designed to lower the cost of health insurance for low and middle income individuals or families. Subsidies are primarily based on your household income per the number of people on your tax return. To determine if you are eligible for subsidy to help reduce your premium, you can generate a quote and estimate your subsidy.

For those who are not subsidy eligible, Short Term health insurance could potentially be a more affordable option. While these plans are not ACA-compliant, Short Term plans are now offered for up to 360 days of coverage while also offering an additional rider, Health Protector Guard, that will also enhance your benefits. For more information about these plans, generate your Short Term Insurance Quote.

For more information on North Carolina Health 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.

Summertime is here and college students are heading home for a much needed break, but what about health insurance?  Although many colleges and universities offer student health insurance plans, most of those plans are only good for the school year, leaving students with a three month gap in coverage.  Because of the rules of the Affordable Care Act, these students cannot simply apply for another health plan outside of Open Enrollment, so what is available to them?  The answer is temporary health insurance.

A temporary health plan can fill gaps in coverage and also offers students the ability to enroll in health insurance when they need it.  In fact, these plans can be in effect as soon as the very next day and are typically very affordable. In addition, you can select temporary coverage anywhere from 1 to 11 months and you can choose to make one lump sum payment or pay monthly, whichever works best.  Short term plans ensure that students have the coverage they need over summer months when they are working part-time jobs that usually don’t provide health insurance and when students are more active than ever. (more…)

The health insurance market has changed dramatically under the Affordable Care Act and it continues to change every year.  2016 brought a greater than anticipated rise in the cost of health insurance premiums across the board and many Americans are now wondering what other options are available.  Although in the past short term health insurance plans were primarily geared toward individuals who needed to fill a gap in health coverage due to a move, a job change, or recent graduation, many people are now taking a closer look at the benefits of temporary health insurance policies.

In terms of affordability, short term health insurance plans are typically much less expensive than regular health insurance policies.  Because they do not have to cover the 10 essential benefits required under the ACA, short term plans have much lower monthly premiums and are an excellent way to make sure you have coverage in case of an unexpected accident or illness.  Many temporary plans also include copayments for doctor visits as well as prescription drug coverage. (more…)

Although temporary health insurance plans are not ACA approved Qualified Health Plans, they do provide a temporary solution that can help fill gaps in coverage that may exist for many reasons.  If you missed Open Enrollment and now find yourself uncovered for 2016, a short term plan could be the solution.  Temporary health plans are a viable option for people who are experiencing gaps in coverage due to a job change, a move or other life circumstances.  They are also great for individuals who may be exempt from the individual mandate (tax penalty) to buy health insurance or those who may just choose to buy health insurance outside of Open Enrollment. (more…)

Being uninsured is never wise, but let’s face it.  Life happens and sometimes you find yourself in a situation where you are experiencing a gap in coverage and need insurance now.  Perhaps you are transitioning from one job to another and there are a few months in between when coverage is not available to you through an employer.  Or perhaps you missed Open Enrollment and now find yourself without a Qualifying Life Event that allows you to enroll in health coverage during Special Enrollment. Whatever the case, you are not out of options.  Short Term coverage can help fill that gap and it is available to you as soon as the very next day! (more…)

Are you one of the many Americans who missed Open Enrollment 2015?  Despite your best efforts, did February 15th come and go and still you are uninsured?  Perhaps you even missed, or did not qualify for, the Special Enrollment period that was in place until April 30th for those individuals who received a tax penalty on their 2014 tax return.  If so, you are not wholly out of luck, though there are some things you should keep in mind.

Because we are now in the Special Enrollment Period, the rules regarding Qualifying Life Events are in full force.  A Qualifying Life Event (QLE) is some special circumstance in your life that allows you to enroll in health insurance outside of Open Enrollment.  As of now, the federal Marketplace has not announced any further exception to the rules of QLE’s, which simply means that you must have one in order to enroll in a health plan.  It is a good idea to review the full list of Qualifying Life Events and if you have one, or if you anticipate having one in the near future, then that will serve as your opportunity to get insured.  Keep in mind that you must complete an application for health insurance within 60 days of your Qualifying Life Event.

Another thing to note is that if you are uninsured for more than three consecutive months during 2015, you will incur a tax penalty on your next year’s tax return, unless you qualify for an exemption.  It is also a good idea to take a look at the list of exemptions and who might qualify.

Finally, keep in mind that being insured is about so much more than incurring a tax penalty.  It’s about having the coverage you need in case of a medical emergency and also about maintaining your physical and mental health through preventive care maintenance.  Further, having to pay a tax penalty is like throwing your hard earned money out the window because you get nothing in return.  On the other hand, although paying a monthly premium for health insurance may seem like a financial frustration, in the end it is money well spent.  Your most precious commodity is your health and making an investment toward it is always a smart decision.

If you are still uninsured and do not foresee having a QLE in the next few months, you may still qualify for Short Term Coverage.  Although not ideal in most circumstances and though it will not offer you the same level of benefits as an individual health plan, Short Term Coverage can be an effective way to fill in the gap between now and this year’s Open Enrollment which begins in November.  Short term coverage has some limitations and will not save you from the tax penalty in that it does not meet the Affordable Care Act’s 10 essential requirements, but it is still better than having no coverage in case of a medical emergency.

The bottom line is you do have options.  Although you may not be able to secure your first choice in health plans outside of Open Enrollment, you can be insured in the interim.  Also, this is a great time to begin doing research about the Affordable Care Act, what subsidy might be available to you and how that subsidy might affect your federal income tax.  Use this time to research the various health plans available to you and also what kind of network works best for you and your family.  Open Enrollment begins again in November, which believe it or not, is only 5 months away.  Even if you cannot obtain coverage during Special Enrollment, this is a great time to arm yourself with all the information and knowledge you will need to make the very best choice possible come Open Enrollment.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC is committed to helping the residents of North Carolina secure and maintain the health coverage you need.  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.