Now that you have health coverage through the Marketplace, it’s time to review your plan and decide if you need to make changes for 2015. Every fall, your health insurance company sends you a letter explaining changes to premiums and benefits for the coming year. You can choose to stay in your current plan or make changes. 

Take action by December 15, 2014 to update your account with Healthcare.gov and verify your premium tax credit and health insurance for January 1, 2015 

And, not to worry, we have until Feb 15, 2015 – your changes will be effective just a little later in the year.


Step 1. Review: Plans Change, People Change  

Every year, the insurance companies will make changes to the plan: 

• Premiums
• Copays, deductibles, out of pocket limits
  
• The benefits and services
  
• Doctors, hospitals and medical providers in their preferred network

Consider – how did the coverage work this year?  How did you use healthcare? Were you happy with your doctor? 


Review your plan’s 2015 coverage to make sure it still meets your needs and you’re getting the best value for plan for you. 

Important:

• You will receive a renewal letter from the insurance company. It states ...  
• The 2015 Premium for your current plan 
  
• Your Premium discount ( tax credit) through the Marketplace -  monthly - based on your estimated income and family size for2014.
  
• This discount will continue for 2015 
  
• Unless you Update your Marketplace Account (Steps 2-5 below)
  
• Note your plan's 14 digit ID. 
  

Step 2. Update

Starting November 15, visit HealthCare.gov and log into your Marketplace account. Answer a few questions to get to your 2015 application – it will be pre-filled with your latest information from 2014. Step through each page of your application and make changes if you need to. This is important – even if none of your information has changed, you might be eligible for lower costs than last year!You also can call the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 to review or make updates over the phone. 

Important 

• Can’t access your Marketplace account? Follow the steps on the screen to reset your password. Or call the Marketplace 
• Did any of your income, household, or personal information change? Even a small change can affect your premium tax credits and cost- sharing reductions, so make sure your information is up-to-date.
• Please see the Marketplace Application Check List 
  

• After you submit your 2015 application, check your eligibility results carefully. Even if none of your information changed, you might get different cost savings because of changes in the Marketplace.
• Download your new Eligibility document from Healthcare.gov. Note your monthly savings. 
• An "under the hood" look at this.
  

Step 3. Compare

Now we can compare plans for 2015 and apply your premium discount tax credit. 

As we get updates from the insurance companies  -  we'll be in touch with options. 

Important:  

As your agent, we are appointed with ALL the insurance companies.  We can help you determine the best plan to meet your needs. 

We will help you compare plans and consider:

• Are there more affordable plans available to you that weren’t an option last year?

• Are you happy with the changes to your current plan?

• Are your current doctors in the plan’s network?

• Will your prescriptions be covered?

• What will your benefits and costs be?

Step 4:  Choose

Choose a health plan for 2015. You can keep the same plan or select a new one that better fits your needs. If you want to stay enrolled in your 2014 plan, use the plan ID in the letter you get from your health plan. 

Important:

• You can choose any plan available in 2015, no matter what kind of coverage you had in 2014.
  
  
• All 2015 Marketplace plans include all benefits and protections required by the health care law.
  
  
• You can use any premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions (if you qualify) only if you enroll in a plan through the Marketplace.
  

Step 5:  Enroll

Stay covered for 2015! Contact the insurance company to confirm your enrollment.Make sure to pay your premium.

Important:

• For health coverage starting January 1, 2015, you must enroll in a plan by December 15, 2014.
• If you want to change 2015 plans after December 15, 2014, you can do that any time during Open Enrollment, which continues through February 15, 2015.
• If you make updates and enroll in a new health plan after December 15, 2014, your coverage won’t start on January 1. Read the notice from your health plan to check when your coverage will start.

Complete all 5 steps to finish enrolling in a health plan, even if you want to stay in the same plan.

This is important to get the coverage you want and the most cost savings that you’re eligible for. If you don’t finish all of the steps by December 15, the marketplace will try to enroll you automatically so you stay covered. But this coverage might not be your best option for 2015 and you could miss out on cost savings.
NEED SOME HELP ?
Please email Dave at dave@troutinsurance.biz 


Tell us which step you are on and what specific question you have. We'll be back in touch promptly.