Affordable Health Insurance for 2021

Colorado has extended the Health Insurance Open Enrollment Deadline … Your Personal Benefits Manager can help you find coverage that will begin February 1st

One of the most frustratingly arbitrary things about buying health insurance is dealing with the ACA’s Open Enrollment deadline. Every year, Americans only have a short window to sign up for health insurance or switch to a different plan. Miss the deadline, and you’re out of luck until next year.

Fortunately, Colorado is one of the states that has once again extended this deadline. Coloradans now have until January 15th to sign up for a new plan. Whether you simply ‘spaced out’ on the deadline or didn’t think that you needed to do anything, this is good news.

Why should I care about Open Enrollment being extended?

Here’s the thing that most people don’t realize about their health insurance plan: better rates are hitting the market all the time. So even if you’re happy with your current coverage, there’s a good chance that you’re missing out on something even better when you skip Open Enrollment.

But there’s no need to wade through all the fine print yourself. Your Personal Benefits Manager (PBM) is an expert on the 2021 plan options, especially after the last few months. With a quick, free consultation, they will be able to tell you exactly which plan is the best deal. At the same time, they can make sure that you aren’t losing the coverage options that are important to you.

“But I can’t afford health insurance.”

Of course, the biggest reason that people miss the deadline is that they don’t think that they can afford health insurance. And why would they? Health costs in this country are constantly going up, so it only makes sense that premiums would only go up as well.

But with an Advanced Premium Tax Credit, market health insurance plans can become instantly more affordable. If you’re making less than 400% of the federal poverty level (FPL), you can qualify for one of these subsidies.

The FPL is determined based on how many people are in your household, and is also used to determine eligibility for Medicaid. Your PBM can help you determine whether or not you qualify for one of these valuable tax credits.

You might qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP)

For most people, the Jan. 15 deadline is the last day to make changes to your healthcare strategy for the year. That means that you’ll be stuck with what you have for another 12 months. But if you have experienced a qualifying life event, then you have an additional opportunity to sign up for coverage.

Here are the primary reasons why you would qualify for a Special Enrollment Period:

• • You got married (or divorced)
  • You moved into a new zip-code
  • You had a baby or adopted a child
  • You lost your insurance due to job loss or death of a policy holder

If any of these pertain to you, then you have 60 days from the event to sign up for new coverage.

Don’t overthink it: Schedule an appointment with your PBM for help

There’s no reason to stress about your health coverage, especially when you have already got an expert in your corner. Your PBM is the key to all sorts of expert advice that can save you money on health insurance.

And if you really can’t afford a marketplace health insurance plan, your PBM can help with that too. There are a number of highly affordable alternatives out there that can keep you protected, like health care cost sharing and short-term insurance plans.

Schedule an appointment with your PBM today. Your new coverage can begin as soon as February 1st, earning you monthly savings that can make 2021 a happier, healthier year. You can also click the link below to get a free quote on a Colorado health insurance plan.