Important deadline ahead for IL consumers buying health insurance on marketplace

If you haven’t signed up for health coverage in West Virginia, the December 15 enrollment deadline is fast approaching.

The U.S. has said it hopes to have about 10 million people enrolled in individual marketplace plans by the end of next year, up from a 2015 year-end projection of 9.1 million.

Private insurers including Anthem Inc, Aetna Inc and UnitedHealth Group Inc are among private insurers selling plans on HealthCare.gov, and who have said they are losing money on the business.

The government said earlier this week that the special enrollment period that had been open around the income tax deadline would not be available this year. In 2014, some 4 million people had enrolled in exchanges during November, when the last open enrollment period began.

With about five days to go before open enrollment to the federal insurance marketplace closes, more Utahns are opting for coverage there.

“Everyone with those plans needs to re-enroll and select another plan”, Stevenson said, adding that “shopping around” can provide better deals and/or coverage for other enrollees, as well.

Another driver for federal marketplace enrollment in Utah has been the shutdown of one and discontinuance of two other local plans previously offered to consumers.

Slavitt said that “returning consumers can save about $600 in premiums” by coming back to HealthCare.gov to actively shop, as opposed to accepting automatic re-enrollment.

Financial help is available for many people if they enroll through HealthCare.gov. Depending on their income, they may qualify for tax credits to help pay their monthly premium and help with out-of-pocket costs such as deductibles and co-pays. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services expects that millions more will be enrolled when people who had coverage for 2015 are automatically renewed this month, and when state-run markets, including California and NY, report their totals. “Avoid fines by signing up before January 31”, he said.

People who don’t buy health insurance plans through an employer and choose to buy off Healthcare.gov need to buy a plan by December 15 to have coverage by January 1.

Correction: Counihan and Slavitt highlighted the penalty for not having insurance on Wednesday.