What’s New and What To Watch For in the Upcoming ACA Open Enrollment Period
Industry News
Thursday, October 10 2024
(By Julie Appleby) October 8, 2024 - The ACAs annual open enrollment season for health plans begins Nov. 1 and lasts through Jan. 15.
Current enrollees who do not update their information or select an alternative will be automatically reenrolled in their current plan or, if that plan is no longer available, into a plan with similar coverage. Last year marked a record enrollment of about 21 million people. This time around, consumers will find a few things have changed.
Don’t Fall for Advertising Scams
While some health plans offer small-dollar gift cards or other incentives to encourage participation in wellness efforts, they would not offer cash cards worth thousands of dollars a month to help with groceries, gas, or rent. Even so, social media and online sites are rife with such promises. Such ads are among the avenues allegedly used by unscrupulous brokers who enroll or switch plans without the express permission of consumers, according to a lawsuit filed in Florida.
Also, be cautious about the websites you use to search for coverage. Type “Obamacare” or “cheap health insurance” into a search engine and often what pops up first are sponsored private sector websites unaffiliated with the official state or federal government marketplaces for ACA coverage. While they may try to look official, they are not. Many such sites offer various options, including non-ACA coverage with limited benefits, a “secret shopper” study found in 2023. Such non-ACA coverage would not qualify for federal subsidies to help consumers pay premiums.
The fine print on some websites says that consumers who provide personal information automatically consent to be contacted by sales agents via phone calls, emails, text messages, or automated systems with prerecorded messages. When exploring plans, always start with the official federal marketplace’s website, healthcare.gov. Even if you don’t live in one of the 29 states served by the federal marketplace, its website provides the link to your official enrollment site when you select your state, or the District of Columbia, from a drop-down list. The federal and state marketplaces also have call centers and other ways to get enrollment assistance. The “find local help” link on healthcare.gov, for example, gives consumers a choice of finding assisters or sales agents near them.
To Read More Click Here
Current enrollees who do not update their information or select an alternative will be automatically reenrolled in their current plan or, if that plan is no longer available, into a plan with similar coverage. Last year marked a record enrollment of about 21 million people. This time around, consumers will find a few things have changed.
Don’t Fall for Advertising Scams
While some health plans offer small-dollar gift cards or other incentives to encourage participation in wellness efforts, they would not offer cash cards worth thousands of dollars a month to help with groceries, gas, or rent. Even so, social media and online sites are rife with such promises. Such ads are among the avenues allegedly used by unscrupulous brokers who enroll or switch plans without the express permission of consumers, according to a lawsuit filed in Florida.
Also, be cautious about the websites you use to search for coverage. Type “Obamacare” or “cheap health insurance” into a search engine and often what pops up first are sponsored private sector websites unaffiliated with the official state or federal government marketplaces for ACA coverage. While they may try to look official, they are not. Many such sites offer various options, including non-ACA coverage with limited benefits, a “secret shopper” study found in 2023. Such non-ACA coverage would not qualify for federal subsidies to help consumers pay premiums.
The fine print on some websites says that consumers who provide personal information automatically consent to be contacted by sales agents via phone calls, emails, text messages, or automated systems with prerecorded messages. When exploring plans, always start with the official federal marketplace’s website, healthcare.gov. Even if you don’t live in one of the 29 states served by the federal marketplace, its website provides the link to your official enrollment site when you select your state, or the District of Columbia, from a drop-down list. The federal and state marketplaces also have call centers and other ways to get enrollment assistance. The “find local help” link on healthcare.gov, for example, gives consumers a choice of finding assisters or sales agents near them.
To Read More Click Here