ACA Open Enrollment Period for 2018 is Nov 1 to Dec 15 2017

[audreyh1]

Just so you know that it's quite a bit shorter than the previous enrollment periods, so don't miss the deadline.

https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/open-enrollment-period/

 

[MBSC]

The enrollment portion of healthcare.gov will be down for maintenance the night of 11/1 and most Sunday mornings.

Source: Obamacare signup site to be shut down for 12 hours nearly every Sunday of open enrollment | PBS NewsHour

 

[pb4uski]

I am thankful that we have our program in place and are happy with it... since we are not taking subsidies I don't need to do anything... it just automatically renews.

 

[audreyh1]

I am thankful that we have our program in place and are happy with it... since we are not taking subsidies I don't need to do anything... it just automatically renews.

I keep my fingers crossed that this will be the first year that we can count on auto-renewal. The last two times plans we were on were removed and we had to scramble to reapply during the open enrollment period.

Prior to the last two years we also had to re-enroll during open enrollment because the plan we were on dropped the HSA compatibility because they added copays for some bizarre reason. So we had to reapply to get to the one plan left that was still HSA compatible.

So every year since ACA started we've had to reapply for one reason or another.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I hope so too.

 

[bingybear]

I am thankful that we have our program in place and are happy with it... since we are not taking subsidies I don't need to do anything... it just automatically renews.

I keep my fingers crossed that this will be the first year that we can count on auto-renewal. The last two times plans we were on were removed and we had to scramble to reapply during the open enrollment period.

I emailed my insurance company to sort out what plans look like this year. 2016 I bought a plan thru them direct after cobra ended. That time they gave me warning the plan was not being renewed. 2017 I bought thru the exchange (insurance company was not doing direct for individual plans) from the same insurer. This year I've heard nothing about insurance for next year, but I know the present company will have offerings in my county. They said they could share info around mid October. I'm guessing my plan is not being cancelled, but have not clue if they will keep the same network. I expect that rates will likely rise by about 20% or so based on general news on rate requests.
My question for the quoted, what information do you have about your next year's insurance and where do you get it this early?

 

[audreyh1]

I emailed my insurance company to sort out what plans look like this year. 2016 I bought a plan thru them direct after cobra ended. That time they gave me warning the plan was not being renewed. 2017 I bought thru the exchange (insurance company was not doing direct for individual plans) from the same insurer. This year I've heard nothing about insurance for next year, but I know the present company will have offerings in my county. They said they could share info around mid October. I'm guessing my plan is not being cancelled, but have not clue if they will keep the same network. I expect that rates will likely rise by about 20% or so based on general news on rate requests.
My question for the quoted, what information do you have about your next year's insurance and where do you get it this early?

Fingers crossed, but that last two times there were MAJOR changes, like dropping PPOs, or leaving the state entirely, I usually knew it was going to happen by July of that year, and I have heard no such noise this year. Knock on wood!!!

 

[bingybear]

The plan I purchased in 2016 (last 4 months) was a PPO with a nation wide network for travel coverage and a broad local coverage. This year, narrow network (HMO/HDHP) in state and life threatening nation wide (take it as you will). But the choice of network left out my cardiologist. There were two non-medicaid'ish insurers last year, but only one this year. So the thought is who will the insurer team with.

 

[scrabbler1]

I got a letter a few months ago from my ACA carrier and they told me they had filed for a 17% increase for 2018. It is up to my state's (New York) insurance department to approve it or cut it back.


Around a year ago, I had also gotten a letter from them telling me some of my doctors were being cut loose from their network of providers. Thankfully, two of my important doctors whose futures within their network were uncertain, got resolved and they remained in their network. (I was going to see one of them out-of-network, as I described in another thread.) One did not, although it wasn't a key doctor, so I was able to find another one. A few others who got dropped I was not seeing on an ongoing basis. Close call.

 

[easysurfer]

So, if I get a subsidy, I can still auto enroll and will get subsidy following year, right? That's assuming my income doesn't change much.

I expect to have just one reasonable choice as the insurer.

 

[MichaelB]

So, if I get a subsidy, I can still auto enroll and will get subsidy following year, right? That's assuming my income doesn't change much.

I expect to have just one reasonable choice as the insurer.

With health insurance I would not assume this unless the insurer sends a letter specifically spelling out the renewal.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

I got a letter a few months ago from my ACA carrier and they told me they had filed for a 17% increase for 2018. It is up to my state's (New York) insurance department to approve it or cut it back.


.

Looks like they got a 14 % increase. NY approves double-digit health insurance rate hikes for 2018 | syracuse.com

 

[MRG]

I received a letter from my insurer today. My plan continues next year and has the same deductibles! Yeah! What's the price?

I don't know! It wasn't on the official snail mail. The rest of the financials were!

The price last year was almost $1,400 monthy for my individual silver plan. I'm guessing it's going to be 25% higher next year. We're managing our income, sadly before Medicare there's going to be a shortage. OH well.

 

[easysurfer]

With health insurance I would not assume this unless the insurer sends a letter specifically spelling out the renewal.

Assume, then verify .

 

[Aerides]

I believe overall plan pricing was due to be submitted by the carriers to congress this week (wednesday?). Understandably, many were in a quandary what to charge given the recent...uncertainty.

But I would not expect any general publication of rates until after the govt approves, though of course you might get a preview of what was requested from your existing provider.

 

[audreyh1]

I believe overall plan pricing was due to be submitted by the carriers to congress this week (wednesday?). Understandably, many were in a quandary what to charge given the recent...uncertainty.

But I would not expect any general publication of rates until after the govt approves, though of course you might get a preview of what was requested from your existing provider.

I thought this was done on a state by state basis, and decided over the summer. Usually companies announce the ACA compliant plans and rates in October, a month before the Nov 1 open enrollment.

 

[rodi]

I wonder if the shorter window applies to states that have their own exchanges. I've applied through CoveredCa since retiring. I've always had to reapply since we had changes. (DH wanted to change insurers, boys and I stayed on the old insurer... then DH went on medicare this year on Jan 1).

Perhaps this will be the first year we can just roll over (the boys and I) and not have to deal with coveredca.

 

[SecondCor521]

It looks like my insurer will continue this next year and my plan will also be available. My net premium after subsidy will decrease by 9 cents per month.

 

[audreyh1]

I wonder if the shorter window applies to states that have their own exchanges. I've applied through CoveredCa since retiring. I've always had to reapply since we had changes. (DH wanted to change insurers, boys and I stayed on the old insurer... then DH went on medicare this year on Jan 1).

Perhaps this will be the first year we can just roll over (the boys and I) and not have to deal with coveredca.

No. I read something that indicated that was just for the Federal Exchange and that most states that have their own exchanges the deadlines are extended but vary.

Some States Extend Deadlines
In response, several states that run their own health insurance exchanges have extended their open enrollment periods beyond the deadline set by the Trump administration. New York is one: Citing concerns about the earlier deadlines, the state will use the same open enrollment time frame as last year – from Nov. 1, 2017 to Jan. 31, 2018. “Our goal is to ensure that consumers have adequate time to shop for and enroll in the health plan that is best for their family,” New York State of Health Executive Director Donna Frescatore said in a statement. The other states that have opted for longer open enrollment periods (so far; more can join them) are California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Rhode Island and Washington, plus Washington, D.C. (Check end dates, as they may vary.)



Read more: Alert: Shorter Enrollment for Affordable Care Act This Year | Investopedia http://www.investopedia.com/insuran...ble-care-act-shorter-this-year/#ixzz4u7qzxanj
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[FIREd]

It looks like my current plan (Bronze HSA) will be proposed again in 2018. My insurer requested a 5% increase.

 

[street]

Thanks for posting the reminder. I would not of gave it a thought about contacting my HCI provider.

 

[scrabbler1]

Looks like they got a 14 % increase. NY approves double-digit health insurance rate hikes for 2018 | syracuse.com

I was quoting a letter specific to my carrier. You were posting an average across all carriers. But..........after I read your post, I did a quick search to see what my company ended up requesting (14.1%) and what it was granted (11.4%). Strange that I saw nothing close to the ~17% quoted in the letter I got a few months ago.

What determines my ACA subsidy is not so much what I pay but instead what my MAGI is and what the SLCSP (Second Lowest Cost Silver Plan) is. The SLCSP has risen by about 4% each year in the last few years.

 

[easysurfer]

Got a letter today from BCBS about my current plan. Letter said, current play going away. New plan coming, stay tuned. Will get letter with more info before Nov 1.

 

[ziggy29]

Got a letter today from BCBS about my current plan. Letter said, current play going away. New plan coming, stay tuned. Will get letter with more info before Nov 1.

Wondering if that means a new pool and watered down provider list. Or, if you have a PPO, they are going to only HMOs. Been there, done that here.

 

[easysurfer]

Wondering if that means a new pool and watered down provider list. Or, if you have a PPO, they are going to only HMOs. Been there, done that here.

Had a similar note last year. The plan I was on was getting replaced by one with a more narrow network and more costly. So I won't be shocked for the same type of news.