Our promise at Biden-Care.com is to provide you with accurate, reliable information about upcoming changes to the health insurance industry under a new Biden administration.
BidenCare seeks to build upon, strengthen, and clarify ObamaCare's provisions.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) says that most people applying for health insurance through the federal marketplace must sign-up at certain times.
Open Enrollment is the name for this period, typically in the fall, but states have broad leeway to set enrollment deadlines for their insurance exchanges. For instance, in California, the open enrollment period is much longer than the federal period.
But what happens when you need health coverage right away, and Open Enrollment doesn't begin for several months?
That's what health insurance Special Enrollment is for!
If you don't carry or have lost your insurance coverage, you'll still have a chance to sign-up for health plans during Special Enrollment.
The caveat is that you have to meet specific requirements to qualify as outlined in the ACA.
You can begin signing up for ObamaCare health plans from November 1, 2021, through December 15, 2021.
You can also switch your insurance coverage and keep the tax credits to offset the premium and deductible expenses during this period.
Medicare relies on a similar but distinct open enrollment window; you can also apply for Medicaid at any time based on need.
Above all, President Biden wants to increase access to affordable health insurance for every American.
What this means for you is that you'll have more ways to find, pay for, and manage your health insurance. So far, we expect BidenCare to keep Special Enrollment stipulations in place.
At Biden-Care.com, we help consumers streamline the search for health insurance, which remains complicated and tough to navigate for beginners.
Those who need to use Special Enrollment are patients most in need that can't wait for Open Enrollment to come around.
To qualify for Special Enrollment under BidenCare, you need to show that you've recently gone through qualifying life events, as specified in the ACA.
Here are the most common life events that will qualify you for Special Enrollment.
Marital status
One scenario is a change in marital status. Often, people have insurance through their spouse's employer-sponsored plan, so once they end the marriage, health coverage goes along with it.
Getting married is another scenario outlined in the ACA because you might need to add beneficiaries but can't wait for Open Enrollment.
Having a child or adopting a child
If you have a child, you can apply for BidenCare plans outside of Open Enrollment, too. We anticipate that BidenCare plans may stay the same as ObamaCare plans, which already include prenatal care.
Adopting a child counts as another qualification as sometimes these children have special needs that can't wait until the next Open Enrollment period.
Losing health insurance within the last 60 days
Losing your employer-sponsored health insurance can be equally as devastating as the financial impacts, especially if you have a pre-existing condition like diabetes or high blood pressure.
An important note: You must sign-up for Special Enrollment within 60 days of losing coverage. Similarly, you can sign-up for Special Enrollment as many as 60 days before losing the insurance if you know ahead of time.
Moving out of state
The ACA doesn't punish those who may get a new job and need to move out of state. In this situation, before ObamaCare came along, you would have no choice but to lose coverage and reapply in your new home state.
The reason is that states administer subsidized exchanges on their own without the federal government handling every detail.
Death of a loved one
In cases of tragedy and misfortune, such as a loved one's death, you can sign-up for insurance during Special Enrollment. The intent is to allow people who have lost coverage when their spouse passes away.
Additional qualifying life events
The previous life events are the most common, but other life events qualify, too.
If you have any questions about qualifying life events, we'd be happy to answers them!
Additional life events that count for special Enrollment include:
These life events qualify you for Special Enrollment at any time.
At Biden-Care.com, we strive to help consumers find the best insurance policies at the best price.
We're not a government-funded website, and we're not insurance brokers. We're here for you.
If you don't know if you qualify for Special Enrollment, call to talk to an agent.
Finding the right health insurance has never been easier! In three simple steps, find the perfect plan for your healthcare needs:
Compare multiple plans from trusted carriers to find the program that best suits your needs. Review eligibility requirements, pricing, coverage accessibility, and more all from a single, easy-to-use interface.
