How Open Enrollment Works
Whether your purchasing health insurance for the first time or have had your own coverage for years, it is important to brush up on any health care changes coming up for the new year. If your buying on your own for the first time, you can understand how open enrollment works by reading this article. Open enrollment can often be a stressful time for many people. With so many changes to plans, carriers, and premium amounts it can certainly feel overwhelming. Although, you do not need to go through this process by yourself. Any broker in our office can assist you with your health insurance questions and there are zero additional fees to do this.
Changes in Nevada for 2020
Open enrollment this year will be the last time you can purchase health insurance until the end of 2020. The only exception to this is for someone to experience a qualifying life event. Therefore, if you miss your window and do not have a life event during the year then you will not be able to purchase a policy until 2021. In the past, Nevada has allowed individuals to purchase a health plan mid-year with a 90 day waiting period. This makes the open enrollment period much more important and it is imperative that you get in touch with a health insurance broker before the window closes. Otherwise, you may remain uninsured for the rest of the year.
What Will You Need
Open enrollment lasts until November 1st and ends December 15th. The requirements to purchase a plan during open enrollment are very minimal. This is because the ACA (Affordable Care Act) requires insurance to cover all preexisting conditions and does not allow health insurance Nevada companies to ask you health questions. This means you will only need to answer basic information such as date of birth, address, SSN, etc. You may also want to form a budget to determine how much of a premium you can afford. Depending on how much you earn during a year, you may be eligible for additional discounts on your monthly premium. Once you have chosen a plan based on your needs and budget, the enrollment process generally takes about 10 minutes to complete. All plans will begin on January 1st of 2020 and end on December 31st.
As your broker, we can walk you through each step of the enrollment process. This includes presenting you every available option you have and walking you through open enrollment as smoothly and quickly as possible so you can get back to enjoying the holiday season. This can be done in our office, over the phone, or by email to accommodate your schedule and preference for completing the process. Our office also acts as your resource for any questions or issues you have throughout the year.
