— press release from Legal Aid of North Carolina

Enrollment for 2018 Affordable Care Act coverage starts Nov. 1

Financial help and in-person enrollment help still available for NC consumers; Shortened enrollment period ends Dec. 15

RALEIGH • Oct. 31, 2017 – Tomorrow, Nov. 1, is the start of the Affordable Care Act’s fifth – and shortest – open-enrollment period. Consumers will have until midnight on Dec. 15 – just 45 days, which is half the length of past enrollment periods – to enroll in 2018 coverage on the Health Insurance Marketplace <https://www.healthcare.gov>.

Due to the shortened enrollment period and general confusion surrounding the Affordable Care Act – a Kaiser Family Foundation study<https://www.kff.org/health-reform/poll-finding/kaiser-health-tracking-poll-october-2017-experiences-of-the-non-group-marketplace-enrollees/> found that many consumers do not know the dates for the 2018 enrollment period – it is more important than ever for North Carolina consumers to know that they can rely on an experienced, fully funded<https://www.legalaidnc.org/Pages/about-us/news/Navigator-Grant-2018.aspx> corps of Marketplace navigators to provide them with free, local, in-person enrollment help all across the state.

Consumers can schedule a navigator meeting by visiting ncnavigator.net<https://www.ncnavigator.net> or calling 1-855-733-3711 (toll-free). They can also attend one of the free enrollment events that will be held around the state throughout open enrollment (see the events listing on ncnavigator.net<https://www.ncnavigator.net/>).

Here are some other important facts for consumers to know:

* The Affordable Care Act is still the law, and Americans must be enrolled in health insurance in 2018 to avoid paying a fine.

* Subsidies to help consumers pay their monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs – copays and deductibles – are still available. Nine in 10 North Carolinians who enrolled in the last open enrollment period received some financial help to cover their premium costs.

* Consumer subsidies go up or down along with premium rates, so most consumers should not feel the premium increase in their wallet.

* Consumers who already have Marketplace coverage should come back to review the new plans available for 2018, rather than automatically re-enrolling. New plans and prices are available, so consumers should make sure they are enrolled in the best plan for their family’s medical needs and budget.

* All plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace cover comprehensive care, including doctor’s visits, prescription drugs, emergency services, hospitalization, preventive and rehabilitative care, and more.

”The most important message for consumers is: do not delay!” Jennifer Simmons, director of the NC Navigator Consortium, said. “Given the shortened enrollment period, it’s more important than ever for consumers to act now. If you have questions or don’t know where to start, our navigators are here for you. Visit our website or call us as soon as possible.”

# # #