ACA sign Up

[reubenray]

Why is in my letter from Humana they are showing an ACA plan, but when looking at the ACA plans on the Healthcare website there are no Humana plans?

 

[rbmrtn]

Thanks, that is what I initially did and went right to the "Review and confirm coverage" button, filled in all the T&C's questions, saw the plan I selected with subsidized price, etc. but after hitting confirm it never came back with a final completion or healthcare provider billing screen.

OK, maybe I little different than what I thought. So you actually skipped and went to and confirmed but it wouldn't go forward without the dental section being completed ?

Well I guess I'll find out about that next I have it all done except clicking confirm.

 

[ziggy29]

Why is in my letter from Humana they are showing an ACA plan, but when looking at the ACA plans on the Healthcare website there are no Humana plans?

Best guess? They showed plans available in your state, but no Humana plans are available in your county. I know there are other Exchange insurers besides BCBS TX in Texas, but in my county, they are the only game in town.

 

[pb4uski]

Why is in my letter from Humana they are showing an ACA plan, but when looking at the ACA plans on the Healthcare website there are no Humana plans?

Because Healthcare.gov is screwed up beyond repair?

I don't see the county argument being right because if Humana sent you a letter they would know what county you are in and would the website from what you told it when you registered.

 

[ziggy29]

I don't see the county argument being right because if Humana sent you a letter they would know what county you are in and would the website from what you told it when you registered.

They may target by zip code, and some zip codes are in multiple counties (my zip code is one such example).

 

[MichaelB]

I posted this on a new thread but it is relevant here.

Obama Moves To Delay Cancellations Of Insurance Plans : The Two-Way : NPR

President Obama announced Thursday that Americans who have had their health insurance plans canceled because of his Affordable Care Act can keep those plans for another year if they wish.

In the next few days we'll hear how this will be implemented.

 

[pb4uski]

They may target by zip code, and some zip codes are in multiple counties (my zip code is one such example).

But wouldn't the same logic apply to zip code? The insurer would know the policyholder's zip code since they sent them a letter and the website would know the buyer's zip code from their address of record?

 

[47]

Why is in my letter from Humana they are showing an ACA plan, but when looking at the ACA plans on the Healthcare website there are no Humana plans?

ALL new plans issued after Jan 2014 (for a moment ignoring the curve ball about grand-fathering old plans etc) are ACA plans or ACA compliant plans. But that doesn't mean they have to be offered within the exchange. There is no compulsion that any insurance company need to offer anything inside an exchange. The only requirement is that if they do offer it inside exchange, they should offer the same thing outside too.

All those who would receive subsidy and hope to receive subsidy need to buy within the exchange.

Some insurance companies are still not convinced whether they need to offer anything inside the exchange this year and they are holding out.

For all the commotion ACA only directy affects only the individual insurance market and the currently uninsured -- about 15% of the population. There are lot of insurance companies who do not have large footprint in that market. They would be the last to play in the sandbox.

 

[reubenray]

The following statement is to clarify what I have read so for. Keeping the current, but ACA qualified would be easier than to change companies.

In order to use the $1,028 subsidy I would have to purchase a plan from the "exchange". So the ACA policy quote I received from Humana would not be eligible for the subsidy.

 

[ziggy29]

The following statement is to clarify what I have read so for. Keeping the current, but ACA qualified would be easier than to change companies.

In order to use the $1,028 subsidy I would have to purchase a plan from the "exchange". So the ACA policy quote I received from Humana would not be eligible for the subsidy.

OK -- that means they are offering ACA-compliant policies but declined to offer it through the Exchange.

 

[meierlde]

OK -- that means they are offering ACA-compliant policies but declined to offer it through the Exchange.

As indeed all the quotes on the media from letters are. The companies would rather sell directly and keep you as a semi captive customer.

 

[bpgdeg1234]

OK, maybe I little different than what I thought. So you actually skipped and went to and confirmed but it wouldn't go forward without the dental section being completed ?

Well I guess I'll find out about that next I have it all done except clicking confirm.

Yes and then I went back thinking I needed to do that section but change wouldn't stick and always indicated SET for dental option. Perhaps was a bug at that time and is fixed now so maybe you won't have same issue as others have enrolled.

I'm just not sure whether it is only me and my application is hosed now or still a bug which will get addressed. I'm also curious whether I could try submitting another application with all the same info that was previously submitted and approved and try enrolling all over or once you have an approved application will it not let me at this point?

 

[ziggy29]

Big day tomorrow, potentially, if it holds up -- the day you can make "status changes" to your existing application. (This was supposed to be enabled on October 15, but was changed to November 15 when the problems were all around.) I for one will be curious if it works and fixes the problems which have prevented me from actually enrolling. (I'm a couple clicks away on two applications, but on one of them, my Indian status is recognized but I have to get my wife off the list of applicants. On the other, I need to get my own Indian status recognized.)

I have to commit to my wife to her plan by November 22, and if I'm still having troubles with my Indian status up to there, we'll have to decide whether I eat the Exchange without Indian status (with subsidies, but not the cost sharing the law requires) or if I'll ask the church council to change their election to also cover me with their medical and dental (at a pre-tax cost of about $380 a month to us personally). Since I can get a subsidized Bronze PPO plan for about $110 I'll probably go that way and hope I can get my Indian status recognized before I burn much of the $6000 deductible. Still not sure yet, though.

The treasurer at our church who deals with the benefits wants to know why we haven't elected her insurance yet. It's because this process is currently a fiasco. That's not a statement on the substance of the law, but the process has been a fiasco!

 

[rbmrtn]

I'm also curious whether I could try submitting another application with all the same info that was previously submitted and approved and try enrolling all over or once you have an approved application will it not let me at this point?

I think you can start a new one, if you start fresh with a new user ID and email. I have an old one still in the verification limbo and it had an application number assigned. I created a new account and started over and it all went smooth to where I am now ready to purchase.

Another option to look at is to check the insurers website for an option to buy. I was looking around the insurers site for mine and they have an enrollment page that links your existing exchange account to get your subsidy then do the plan selection and purchase on their site. That's an alternative way maybe to complete the purchase.

 

[ziggy29]

I'm just not sure whether it is only me and my application is hosed now or still a bug which will get addressed. I'm also curious whether I could try submitting another application with all the same info that was previously submitted and approved and try enrolling all over or once you have an approved application will it not let me at this point?

I have at least three "approved" applications out there which aren't enrolled yet.

 

[jflynn4]

Why is in my letter from Humana they are showing an ACA plan, but when looking at the ACA plans on the Healthcare website there are no Humana plans?

Because all new plans MUST comply with ACA but the insurers are not required to offer all plans on the exchange.

For example, United is offering new plans that are ACA compliant but they are not participating at all on the exchanges, anywhere.

This leads to the question as to how much different will be the plans offered directly thru the insurers versus those offered thru the exchanges.

 

[jflynn4]

I personally has one "in process" that I couldn't get past the selection, one in "enrolled and selected" and the one that was finally successful (I've received the welcome letter and have paid initial payment) that was started at the insurers website, sent thru the exchange for subsidy verification, and then back to the insurer for completion.

Seems there may not be any limit to the number of tries.

 

[shotgunner]

FWIW. I created an account in Healthcare.gov in Oct. I was stuck with ID verification pending for 3 weeks after uploading a PDF of my drivers license.

This week I created a new username and got all the way to the point of picking a policy and applying my premium to it. There was a "pay" button and when I clicked on it my IE popup blocker stopped the process. I clicked on allow popups but could never get the "pay" button back.

Now regardless of which username I log in with I am taken to the same "completed" but stuck application with no means of making payment. The menu to the right that allows you to see details, report life change etc is now not working as well. Numerous calls to Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, about 3 hours phone time have gotten no where.

I can no longer start another application in healthcare.gov as it appears to recognize my name and stops stating only one approved application per individual is allowed.

I am beginning to wonder if the glitchy system was not put in place to steer/force people into buying more expensive ACA compliant policies outside the exchange (and not eligible for tax credit). Collusion between the government and insurance companies is a thought now crossing my mind as it is hard to believe this could be so messed up and for so long on sheer incompetence.

On another note the only insurer in New Hampshire ACA policies do not provide coverage for out of state referrals to specialists. With Boston an hour away many people with serious conditions go to Boston for various treatments. This is not an option with a NH exhange policy.

 

[bpgdeg1234]

I think you can start a new one, if you start fresh with a new user ID and email. I have an old one still in the verification limbo and it had an application number assigned. I created a new account and started over and it all went smooth to where I am now ready to purchase.

Another option to look at is to check the insurers website for an option to buy. I was looking around the insurers site for mine and they have an enrollment page that links your existing exchange account to get your subsidy then do the plan selection and purchase on their site. That's an alternative way maybe to complete the purchase.

I have at least three "approved" applications out there which aren't enrolled yet.

I personally has one "in process" that I couldn't get past the selection, one in "enrolled and selected" and the one that was finally successful (I've received the welcome letter and have paid initial payment) that was started at the insurers website, sent thru the exchange for subsidy verification, and then back to the insurer for completion.

Seems there may not be any limit to the number of tries.

Thanks for everyone's advise. I will investigate the insurers website option and an "Advanced Resolution Specialist" is also scheduled to call me next week (oh boy can't wait for that conversation). If the issue doesn't get addressed by any of these options or potentially by the Tech folks during their ongoing website remediation efforts then I will proceed with another Ironman application submission/enrollment process.

 

[MRG]

Thanks for everyone's advise. I will investigate the insurers website option and an "Advanced Resolution Specialist" is also scheduled to call me next week (oh boy can't wait for that conversation). If the issue doesn't get addressed by any of these options or potentially by the Tech folks during their ongoing website remediation efforts then I will proceed with another Ironman application submission/enrollment process.

If you expect absolutely nothing from the 'Advanced Resolution Specialist', they may not let you down too much. I hope YMMV.

MRG

 

[ziggy29]

"Report a life change will be available on 11/15/2013. Come back on that date to report your change."

Uh, it *is* 11/15/2013..... of course you didn't say what time...

 

[MRG]

"Report a life change will be available on 11/15/2013. Come back on that date to report your change."

Uh, it *is* 11/15/2013..... of course you didn't say what time...

Mignight out on the far side of Australia? Of course they might just miss it, hope
not.

 

[rockymountainhigh]

I received a call from a rep at Connect for Health Colorado on Wednesday 11/13/13 regarding my enrollment. She was going to start the enrollment process (again? I thought they already started it and were waiting for the IRS on the subsidy amount) she needed my Colorado PEAK case number, when I gave it to her and she entered it into the system, it came back as invalid. After multiple attempts she said she would have to get back to me later in the day or the next day. I still have not heard from her...it is the 15th.

 

[shotgunner]

"Report a life change will be available on 11/15/2013. Come back on that date to report your change."

Uh, it *is* 11/15/2013..... of course you didn't say what time...

Ziggy, that button and menu was working on my application when I ran into the popup blocker/payment issue. The next day that menu on the left side that includes report a life change has been broken.

I have pretty much lost hope and will probably grin and bear it by purchasing HI outside the exchange and forgo the tax credit.

 

[LARS]

Signed up last night on State run exchange and had no real problems. Did take about two hours from start to finish and was asked for documentation on income. Kind of a pain, but not a big deal as they give you 90 days to provide. Ended up with a policy substantially better than what we had... isn't Amerika grand.