Open Enrollment is Almost Here, Are You Covered?

The second round of open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act is almost here, allowing consumers to once again head to their computers to purchase a health insurance plan. For those who need extra assistance or simply have questions about the ACA, CompleteCare Health Network has a team of Certified Application Counselors who can help with the process.
Since becoming certified last October, CompleteCare staff has helped over 20,000 people get information on their options for health insurance coverage and have worked with almost 7,000 people to help them complete applications for insurance.
Aside from enrollment in the Health Insurance Marketplace, which begins November 15th, CompleteCare can also help eligible families, children and single adults sign up for Medicaid coverage through NJ FamilyCare. Medicaid applications are accepted year round and eligibility is determined by household income and family size.
Completing an application for either type of insurance is easy and staff can help consumers through the process at one of CompleteCare’s three local health centers. At the time of the appointment enrollees will be asked to bring W2 forms, social security numbers for anyone applying for coverage and basic information like name, address and email.
If you’ve already signed up for coverage, you may still receive a letter asking you to review your current plan. Open enrollment is the time to make any changes to your insurance and decide if you were pleased with your plan or if you’d like to choose a different one to start in the new year. Once enrollment closes on February 15, 2015, no further changes can be made and you will have your plan for a whole year.
For those on the fence about signing up, it’s good to remember the benefits of having health insurance. All of the plans featured in the Health Insurance Marketplace are required to have essential elements to them, items that must be covered at every level and in every plan, including prenatal care, prescription drugs, lab tests, pediatric services and more. To help pay for the monthly premiums, many Americans will qualify for premium tax credits or cost sharing plans.
Tax credits are given to consumers before they pay their costs, making monthly health insurance premiums more affordable.
If you are thinking about skipping health insurance sign-ups for another year, there are a few things to think about. Fees for not being covered will be implemented when paying 2014 taxes. This year the fee will be 1% of yearly household income or $95 per uninsured person in the family ($47.50 for those under 18), whichever is higher. This penalty will increase every year. Aside from the penalty, those without insurance will also be responsible for paying all medical costs out of pocket, including doctor visits, prescription costs and more.
If you still have questions about anything regarding the Affordable Care Act or NJ FamilyCare or if you are ready to sign up for coverage, appointments can be made by calling 609-465-0258 or visiting www.CompleteCareNJ.org.
Aside from insurance assistance, CompleteCare offers primary medical, dental and specialty services at locations throughout Cumberland County. CompleteCare is also certified as a Patient Centered Medical Home. This is the gold standard in healthcare today. It means that you will have a primary care provider that will work with you and the rest of the CompleteCare team to ensure that the care you receive is comprehensive, coordinated, easy to access and of the highest quality. CompleteCare proudly accepts Medicaid and Medicare.