Nearly 11000 new people sign up for health insurance through Washington exchange

Additional projects in the collaborative will examine health insurance training and technical assistance needs of Centers of Independent Living, trends in health insurance coverage and health care access for working-age adults with disabilities and costs of health insurance and health care for the same population. The share of the gross domestic product devoted to health care spending increased from 17.3 percent in 2013 to 17.5 percent in 2014.

TDCI has also advised consumers they face an increased federal tax penalty for being uninsured next year. People who were uninsured in 2014 had to pay either 1% of their income or $95 per adult (capped at $285), whichever was higher. Students enrolled in one academic credit or more are mandated to have health insurance coverage. As such, many are asking employers to aid in the process of buying health insurance.

The extension past year won applause from consumer groups seeking to boost enrollment numbers, who had long argued that tax-filing deadlines were an opportunity to persuade people to enroll because of the individual mandate’s reliance on the tax code for its administration. Costs for next-generation medicine for common diseases, including cancer and heart disease, are jumping, too.

“We think the number is substantially higher than the 6,737”, she said, but added that an official count won’t be ready until later this month.

Those threats are substantial, but sky-high long-term care costs could pose an even bigger problem for retirees. This year, 85% of those who bought private plans on the exchanges got financial assistance. I got sick a couple of times and went to the hospital, and had a lot of bills.

“If you don’t enroll by then, you could have to wait another year to get coverage and may have to pay the fee when you file your 2016 income taxes”, wrote HealthCare.gov CEO Kevin Counihan in a blog post.

Since the beginning of open enrollment on Nov 1, RAHC staff and volunteers have helped create 157 applications, enrolled 90 people and assisted 2,221 people with the ACA.

“There are 40 plans, so it’s kind of confusing if you’ve never had a plan before”, said Jayme Simoes, a spokesman for Covering New Hampshire. And, without insurance, you will be financially responsible for all of your medical costs. Many Americans fail to max out their annual contribution to their 401(k) and IRAs. Those who now have coverage through the Marketplace should also shop around because there are new plans, and new prices available to them. If you’re over 50, the IRS allows you to make catch-up contributions, too.

People with grandfathered individual plans would be automatically switched to a similar one by January 1, 2017, if they don’t purchase another plan.

Online at healthcare.gov. You can learn about the available plans and rates for your area. Doing so, however, remains the best way to make sure your retirement savings don’t disappear too quickly when illness or injury strikes in your golden years.