Questions answered as open enrollment continues for Obamacare

“Obamacare is finished, it’s dead, it’s gone”. Tom Price resigned in late September after reporters exposed his habit of taking pricey private jets at taxpayer expense, and President Trump has not yet nominated his replacement.

In reality, Obamacare – or the Affordable Care Act – remains the law of the land.

As open enrollments begins for the Affordable Care Act, many health insurance customers are finding the new premium prices nearly too much to handle.

But the law remains for at least another year, and part of that law penalizes anyone who does not have health insurance. In 2016, he did just that.

Americans only have a few weeks to decide on a 2018 health plan.

“That lack of awareness and confusion over what’s available has kind of tripled and become so much more hard this year because of all the repeal efforts in Congress”, said Erin Hemlin, a director with Young Invincibles.

In Colorado, open enrollment lasts until January 12 – but why wait?

Al Guevara, president of CEO of St. Luke’s Health-Brazosport, said he also anticipates fewer people will have insurance because of the truncated enrollment period.

More health insurers will depart markets because of the uncertainty they face as to the risk pool without the individual mandate. Florida Blue, a major insurer in that state, hopes the answer is yes.

“People still want coverage”, echoed Melanie Hall, executive director of the Family Healthcare Foundation. Increases in small group plan rates will average 7.6 percent in 2018.

“Last year, 40 percent of our enrollees were new, and we’re on pace to match that again”, O’Toole said. Those subsidies rise to offset premium increases. Premiums are 13 percent lower in counties with the most brokers.

If you’re older and make too much to qualify for any financial assistance, your cost will go up even more.

According to Mona Shattal, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, the Affordable Care Act has three main goals: leveling off rising health care costs, focusing on the quality of health care services rather than the quantity of services provided, and improving access to health care by reducing the number of uninsured Americans.

Martinez said their cost for insurance will be off, which might seem great during the year, but come tax season consumers will be asked to pay the appropriate amount.

“I advise people that have a pressing health problem to either go see a doctor right now or get on the website and enroll ASAP”, Raimer said. These premium hikes will affect those who do not quality for subsidies.

Over 66,000 residents in Pinellas County signed up for the ACA past year, with more than 42,000 of those 66,000 receiving financial assistance.

Let us all spread the word about the open enrollment period. Forward this email and make sure they know that the Trump Administration has shortened this year’s open enrollment period, and the deadline to buy coverage is now December 15.

The federal government should not be allowed to sabotage the open enrollment process through its dismal outreach services.

Sabrina Corlette, research professor at the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute.