Open Enrollment Begins For Obamacare

If you plan on getting health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, you can start enrolling. But there are several changes to be aware of.

First of all, and this is a big one, Open Enrollment will only last 45 days this year. That's half of the enrollment period of last year. So experts say you need to get started early.

John Brese started his own business, Ninja Fit Nutrition, earlier this year. But he wasn't concerned about health insurance for his family until the company his wife works for was taken over and she was laid off.

“I’ve got to find Healthcare for not only myself and my wife but my four children,” he said Wednesday.

And he now has until December 15th to figure it out.

“As much as I know about health, I don’t know a ton about health insurance.”

Insurance Agent Brett Casey with HealthMarket says in addition to a shorter open enrollment period, there are fewer options to choose from this year. Blue Cross Blue Shield is still the only provider.

And you may have heard about President Trump executive order to cut Affordable Care Act subsides. Casey says that pertains to cost sharing of deductibles and co-pays that the federal government previously reimbursed to insurance companies.

“The customer is still going to get the lower deductible, the customer will see no difference at all,” explains Casey. “The insurance company has to pay the difference.”

Still Casey says finding the right recipe for each family can be confusing especially for those like John who is doing it for the first time.

You can get help with folks like Casey https://www.healthmarkets.com/local-health-insurance-agent/brettcasey or through the federal government Call 1-800-318-2596, visit localhelp.healthcare.gov