Life is all about choices, which is never more apparent than during the annual open enrollment period for universal health care.
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Since the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, went into
effect two years ago, the ways in which Americans select their health
care coverage has changed significantly, and New York is no exception.
According to the NYS Department of Health, which operates NY State of
Health, the statewide health insurance marketplace, 2.1 million New
Yorkers are currently receiving their health care through insurance
plans provided through the ACA — private plans, Medicaid or Child Health
Plus.
That number is projected to increase during the third annual open enrollment period, taking place now through Dec. 15 (with changes going into effect on Jan. 1, 2016).
While the options for health-care coverage have increased, the window of time to take advantage of your affordable health care options is getting shorter.
This year, you’ll have about six weeks to either sign up for a new
health insurance plan or make changes to your current plan — about half
as much time as you had last year.
Whether you’re new to the marketplace or are thinking about updating
your current insurance, Donna Frescatore, executive director of NY State
of Health, says now is the time to shop around.
“It pays to shop because many New Yorkers will be pleasantly surprised
to learn that the value of tax credits in their community increased for
2016 compared to this year,” Frescatore says.
“NY State of Health allows consumers to anonymously shop and compare
plans and check their eligibility for financial assistance through the
interactive View Plans Now feature (nystateofhealth.ny.gov/individual).”
In addition to the potential for increased tax credits, this year New Yorkers will also have a new health plan option to consider through the state’s health insurance marketplace called the Essential Plan.
