Not too late to sign up for health insurance through Affordable Care Act

It is not too late to sign up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace at HealthCare.gov.

Open enrollment is currently ongoing and will last until Jan. 15.

Coverage for individuals who have signed up by the Jan. 15 deadline will begin on Feb. 1.

“I encourage everyone to explore their options before the Jan. 15 deadline and not wait until the last minute,” State of Hawaiʻi Insurance Commissioner Gordon Ito said. “Now is the time to shop around and compare options, to check out the savings available to you, and to make sure that you have the right coverage to meet your needs.”

When open enrollment closes on Jan. 15, only individuals with certain life events may qualify to enroll. These life events include having a baby, getting married, losing  job-based health coverage or moving. 

For 2023, consumers will have new plan options on HealthCare.gov, which offer the same deductibles and cost-sharing for certain benefits, as well as the same out-of-pocket limits as other standardized plan options within the same health plan category.

Standardized plan options offer many services pre-deductible, including: primary care, generic drugs, preferred brand drugs, urgent care, specialist visits, mental health and substance use outpatient office visits, as well as speech, occupational, and physical therapy.

Residents who do not make any changes to their coverage should be rolled over into the same or similar plan. If you previously did not enroll or qualify for an Affordable Care Act plan, please visit HealthCare.gov as options may have changed along with your circumstances. With expanded financial assistance under the Inflation Reduction Act, more people will be able to afford healthcare insurance coverage.

The Biden-Harris Administration has made expanding access to health insurance and lowering health care costs for America’s families a top priority. The administration announced that the national uninsured rate reached an all-time low earlier this year. 

“Hawaiʻi always has been on the forefront of ensuring affordability and accessibility to healthcare insurance coverage,” Ito said. “This is especially more important than ever as we continue to face new and evolving viruses. COVID-19 has only strengthened our commitment to prioritizing the health and wellness of our residents.”