This holiday season, the most important card any of us can receive is a health insurance card, along with the security and peace of mind that quality, affordable coverage brings with it.
We are all just one accident or unexpected diagnosis away from needing health insurance. Yet, for generations, millions of Americans have found that quality coverage is out of reach … until now.
Quality health coverage is available, thanks to the Affordable Care Act and the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Whether you're renewing your coverage from the last Open Enrollment or signing up for the first time, you may be surprised at what you can find. In Alaska, about 80 percent of current consumers can find coverage through the Marketplace for as little as $100 a month or less, thanks to financial assistance that lowers the cost of a monthly premium.
Make no mistake, this is quality health coverage. All Marketplace plans are guaranteed to cover a set of benefits, like annual visits to your doctor, prescription medications, hospital stays, maternity and newborn care, and certain preventive services. Insurance companies can no longer impose an annual cap on your health benefits. They can't deny you coverage simply because you get sick, have a medical condition, or you made a mistake on your paperwork. And, you can't get charged more for your coverage just because you happen to be a woman.
So, if you don't have coverage, I encourage you to find in-person assistance in your community at getcoveredalaska.org or at localhelp.healthcare.gov or by calling 2-1-1.
The deadline is Dec. 15 for coverage that begins January 1st, BUT open enrollment runs through Feb. 15, 2015.
So now is the time to come back. Most new customers will find an application that's much simpler and more intuitive. If you're a returning customer, you'll discover that most of the application fields are already filled out for you, using your account information.
There are five steps for renewing your coverage: review your plan, update your information (including your household income), compare your current plan with others available in your area (you may find that there is a better or less expensive plan so don't skip this step), choose the plan that best fits your budget and health needs, and enroll.
There is still time. You may have the chance to save some money while obtaining the security and peace of mind that come with quality, affordable health coverage -- but you'll want to act soon and before Dec. 15 for coverage that begins Jan. 1.
Don't delay, call 2-1-1 today!
Susan Johnson is director of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Region 10, which serves Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
The views expressed here are the writer's own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary(at)alaskadispatch.com.