Premiums expected to rise in many health law markets

In the past two years, consumers had to visit the website of each insurer to see which doctors and hospitals were in its network, a task that could be laborious and time-consuming. “The improvements we’re making will help consumers better understand the cost of coverage based on their own situation and better understand their health care options – providing them with the information they need to pick the plan that best meets their needs”.

Kentucky voters will head to the polls next week in a gubernatorial election that has focused mostly on the merits of President Barack Obama’s signature health care law. The government is offering online tools to look up doctors, hospitals and prescription drugs this year.

Consumers can shop for private health insurance beginning November 1. Grants under the Affordable Care Act are running out and there is no new money for states.

In response to a consumer’s search request, for example, the new website will indicate whether a doctor is “covered” or “not covered” by a particular health plan.

The tax penalty for people remaining uninsured in 2016 is no slap on the wrist. In 2016, uninsured consumers will have to pay $695 or 2.5% of their yearly income, whichever is greater, on tax penalties. That is for someone without coverage for a full 12 months.

Until relatively recently, insurers had so much leeway over benefits and pricing that comparing plans was hard even for educated consumers. This year the comparable numbers are $325 or 2 percent of income, whichever is greater. That can put a dollar figure on the trade-offs for those who are on the fence about signing up. A “privacy manager” will let consumers opt out of embedded connections to third-party advertising, analytics and social media sites. If customers have enabled the “Do Not Track” setting on their browsers, the government will automatically honor their preferences in regard to receiving digital advertising from HealthCare.gov. That can head off major problems later on by helping the government quickly verify a person’s identity. As Robert Pear of The New York Times reported this week, HHS officials argue that insurers have been slow to provide the information, while insurers say the agency gave them unrealistic deadlines. Call center operators can now help reset passwords for consumers who no longer have access to the email address they used to set up their HealthCare.gov accounts.

The website, the main entry point for people seeking insurance in 38 states served by the federal exchange, includes three major new features.

For the third year in a row, the dates for HealthCare.gov’s sign-up season have changed.

The open enrollment period will close January 31. Consumers should enroll in replacement coverage by December 15, 2015 to have insurance on January 1, 2016.