WHEN CAN I APPLY FOR HEALTH INSURANCE 2021?

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) of the United States provides people with a wide spectrum of health insurance options, such as dental, medical, vision, and so on, which are usually not available in the market. The primary goal of ACA is to provide affordable health insurance benefits to the maximum people in the US.

If you have not opted for any health insurance plan yet, and you are wondering whether you are still eligible to opt for one, or what is the right time to enroll yourself, then this article will give you all the details that you are looking for—related to applying for a health insurance plan in 2021.

Enroll during Open Enrolment Period

Open enrollment is defined as the period in a year during which people can enroll themselves in a health insurance plan. Open enrollment starts from 1st November and ends on 15th December on an annual basis, and coverage starts with the New Year. The open enrolment period for 2021 has already ended and the next one will begin in the month of November.

Looking for coverage for the rest of 2021?

You can still get yourself enrolled in a 2021 health insurance plan, if:

• You fall under the Special Enrollment Period because of any life event, such as, getting married, having a baby, or losing other coverage.
• You qualify for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

Enroll during Special Enrollment Period

Special Enrolment Periods (SEPs) are the times that are outside the Open Enrolment Period. Based on your SEP, you can enroll in a plan 60 days before or 60 days after the event. In case you miss your SEP window, you will have to wait until the next open enrollment period, which is November 1.

People who fall under the low-income category, including children, pregnant women, families, older people, and people with disabilities can also apply for health insurance at any time.

When Should I Apply?

People who need coverage starting from April 1, should select a health insurance plan by March end through SEP; the coverage starts from April 1. To get additional benefits, you can apply again after April 1 and reselect your plan to get leverage of increased tax credits.

According to recent amendments in the health insurance sector by the US government, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has extended the access to the Special Enrolment Period till August 15. This new change in the policy provided new and existing enrollees some extra time to enroll or re-assess their coverage requirements with increased tax credits available to lessen the premium costs.

Qualification for Coverage

The Special Enrolment Period starts from February 15 and ends on August 15; health consumers can apply during this period to opt for a health insurance plan. Under the circumstance of any life event, such as a loss of job, or childbirth, the individual will not have to provide any document during this period.

People who have a qualified life event for SEP, and somehow missed the normal 60-day period to opt for the Special Enrolment Period, can still apply for health insurance for necessary coverage. Various services such as dental coverage are not covered under the SEP.