HealthCare.gov sign-ups ahead of past year – but with fewer newcomers

“As a primary health provider in Wilson County, our goal is to help educate residents in an easy-to-understand way, as well as assist those who haven’t yet signed up for health insurance or Medicaid, if qualified”, said Matt Caldwell, CEO of University Medical Center.

“A lot of health insurance companies are still trying to find their footing in the reformed health insurance marketplace created by Obamacare”, he said. But for everyone whose name will appear on the application, please be ready to supply the following information when applying for insurance through the Healthcare Marketplace: name, address, phone number, date of birth, Social Security number (not strictly required but may prevent request for proof of identity later); current income and an estimate of what the tax household income will be for 2016; and information about any health insurance offered through an employer. Since the passage of the ACA five years ago, about 16.4 million uninsured people have gained health coverage. A person making $50,000 per year, for example, would pay $1,250.

“I think it’s absolutely stupid”, said Andy Peterson, a student studying history at ISU who only attends part-time because of the additional fees and requirements for full-time students. Since the new requirements for all to be insured began in 2014, more than 100,000 Kansans have gained insurance, mostly through the Kansas Health Insurance Marketplace, also called an exchange. And there is a big incentive: the victorious community gets bragging rights, a healthier community, and a visit from President Obama to celebrate their success in helping ensure every American has health coverage. More than 1.1 million users shopped for coverage, it said. Many preventative services, such as immunizations, colon cancer screenings, mammograms and Pap tests are covered at no cost. Doctor visits and other services may involve out-of-pocket costs such as co-pays (a set amount you pay for a healthcare visit), deductible (the amount you pay each policy period for a few services before your insurance kicks in) and coinsurance (the portion of health care costs you pay once you’ve met your deductible). “At the time, the costs of the SHIP premiums were increasing to a point that they were higher than what was available on the health exchange”. “Consumers need to check to see what the default option will be, because in this case, people who do not purchase another plan will be renewed automatically into a HMO plan”. Health plans offer different combinations of coverage and cost. In fact, one major insurer is holding more than 3,000 events in its state; a national pharmacy has pledged to work in more than 12,000 of its stores; and one health system in Houston has already sent out thousands of letters – all to encourage enrollment.