HHS Secretary Sebelius announced Monday that consumers can now open personal healthcare accounts online at healthcare.gov in anticipation of the innaugural October 1 open enrollment for plans offered through state health insurance exchanges. Starting in September, you can begin comparing plans side-by-side through the online marketplace in your state.
The new personal account information is available only in English, for the time being. But HHS stated that personal account will be coming soon to the Spanish-language marketplace, at cuidadodesalud.gov.
The new online insurance marketplaces will be geared to people who don't have coverage through their jobs, most of whom will be eligible for tax credits to help pay their premiums. Insurance benefits take effect Jan. 1. That's also when the law will require most Americans to have health insurance or face fines. In return, insurers will be barred from turning away people with medical problems, often referred to as preexisting conditions. The administration hopes to sign up at least 7 million uninsured people next year.
Marketplace Checklist
In addition to creating your online profile, you can also answer a few simple questions about your current health insurance status in order to generate a personalized "Marketplace Checklist." This checklist will provide you with information about how to get ready for open enrollment and allow you to gather all the necessary information to hit the ground running in October.
Still don't understand what a health insurance exchange is? Don't worry! The government has also launched training videos and infographics to further help Americans understand the exchanges.
Individual Marketplace
Small Business Call Center
HHS also launched a special call center on Monday for small businesses, at 800-706-7893. Small businesses will have access to a separate marketplace, and may also be eligible for tax credits.
Learn more about how your small business can provide coverage through Obamacare by watching this short video!
Small Business Marketplace
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