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The time of year has come for those people who want to ensure the safety and good health of their loved ones. The Obamacare 2022 enrollment period for 2022 is around the corner.
Open enrollment provides a time frame to individuals and families who want to purchase a health insurance plan under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace in 2022.
People who have been impacted with life-threatening diseases such as cancer or heart disease must need high-quality and affordable health insurance coverage.
Hence, the enrollment period is crucial for those employees who do not have an employer-based plan or cannot afford expensive health insurance coverage.
Tips to Prepare For Open Enrollment
Know The Deadline
The open enrollment period for 2022 starts on the 1st of November 2021 and extends until the 15th of January 2022. Health coverage can be purchased from HealthCare.gov under the federal health insurance marketplace and is suitable for self-employed, unemployed, and employees whose employers do not provide health coverage.
The people who will purchase health insurance by December 15th, 2021 will have their coverage begin on January 1st, 2022, and end on December 31st, 2022. On the other hand, people who will purchase a plan after December 15th, 2021 will have their coverage take effect from February 1st, 2022.
People who apply for health insurance after January 15th, 2022 will only be eligible to enroll in the year 2022 if they qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). Instances, where you may be eligible for a Special Enrollment Period, include life events such as getting married, having a baby, or losing health coverage.
Factor In the Total Cost
Most people make the mistake of only considering the cost of premiums while purchasing health insurance plans. Several other factors determine the overall cost of a plan such as the deductible, copay, and coinsurance. The Obamacare 2022 enrollment offers 3 package categories:
- Bronze- It has a lower monthly premium with a higher deductible, and you pay more upon receiving healthcare.
- Silver- The plan charges a higher premium compared to bronze, but a lower deductible and covers a greater portion of your healthcare costs.
- Gold- It has the highest premium and the lowest deductible. This plan covers most of your healthcare costs.
It may be tempting to simply pick the plan with the lowest monthly premium, but one must look at each plan as a whole.
The Filter Feature
While compare functions are helpful, people might have to browse through 30 to 40 options at times. Hence, a filter feature spares you the hassles and narrows down your options to plans that have features that are the most important to you.
You can filter your options based on:
- Monthly premium
- Maximum deductible
- Health Savings Account (HSA) eligibility
- Plan categories
- Health plan types
- Medical Providers
- Prescription drugs
- Insurance Companies
Let’s say your maximum deductible is the deciding factor for you then a filter will filter out your insurance plan options based on the maximum deductible.
Do Not Procrastinate
Even though preparing for Obamacare 2022 enrollment might seem like a lot of work, it really isn’t if you follow the process correctly. You must not keep things for the last moment and must be proactive.
Choosing the right health insurance plan needs a lot of research and analysis. Hence, it will take you a few days to choose a plan based on your individual health needs and affordability. So, start early and give yourself enough time to sift through the plans, call your medical provider to ensure that they are covered in-network, and choose the most affordable one.
Do Not Get Billed Twice
If you have found a plan this year that works better for you than the previous plan, then you might want to switch over to the new one. However, oftentimes, insurers have expressed concerns about the fact that problems with the federal website prevent insurers from knowing about changes in a consumer’s plan.
This can lead to billing twice since the consumer will get billed for both plans. It is prudent to keep a proof of payment to answer any billing questions, should you be billed twice.
So, follow these tips diligently and experience a smooth Obamacare 2022 enrollment with the most affordable health insurance plan. Happy enrollment!
Read More : Know About Basic Elements Of Health Insurance Before Buy
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