Starting October 1, 2013, health insurance exchanges (also known as health insurance marketplaces) will provide individuals and small businesses access to:
Because plans from many different insurers can be reviewed at once, the exchanges are intended to promote price competition.
The earliest a person can begin coverage for a new Affordable Care Act health plan is January 1, 2014. People needing coverage for the remainder of 2013 may want to investigate the possibility of short-term health insurance.
Not every health insurance plan will be available on an exchange. Some exchanges (e.g. New Hampshire and Connecticut) will have very limited health insurance options. Other exchanges (e.g. Oregon) will have many options.
Some health plans will only be available outside the exchange. These are known as “off exchange” health plans. Depending on the state, some off-exchange plans will have more competitive premiums than the health plans available on the exchange. However, people eligible for subsidies can only receive premium subsidies for a health plan sold on an exchange.
27 states will have a health insurance exchange run by the federal government (e.g. Texas). 17 states will have a health insurance exchange run by the state government (e.g. California). 7 states will have a health insurance exchange run by a partnership between the federal and state government (e.g. Illinois).
As mentioned earlier, premium subsidies can only be obtained on an exchange. Personal information such as employer and income information, social security number, address, marital status, and dependents will be required by the exchange in order to determine if you are eligible for a premium subsidy or a reduction in the out-of-pocket costs you pay for covered medical services.
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HealthPocket is a free information source designed to help consumers find medical coverage. Whether you are looking for Medicare, or an individual and family health insurance plan, we will help you find the right healthcare option and save on your out of pocket healthcare costs. We receive our data from government, non-profit and private sources, and you should confirm key provisions of your coverage with your selected health plan. If you select a plan presented on our site, you will be directed (via a click or a call) to one of our partners who can help you with your application. Our website is not a health insurance agency and not affiliated with and does not represent or endorse any health plan. HealthPocket, Inc. is part of the Benefytt Technologies, Inc. family of companies.
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