Affordable Care Act – Insurance Coverage

Affordable Care Act – Your Health Insurance Coverage

If you don’t have coverage or if you have it but want to find out about other options; help is available at the Health Insurance Marketplace. While no one is required to use the Marketplace, if you need insurance, it may be right for you. The Marketplace is where you can find health insurance coverage options that fit your budget and meet your needs.

The Department of Health and Human Services administers the requirements for the Marketplace and the health plans they offer.

An open enrollment period to get coverage for 2014 through the Marketplace began on October 1, 2013 and runs through March 31, 2014. The start of your coverage depends upon when you enroll.

When you visit the Marketplace, you can fill out one Marketplace application to learn if you can get lower costs based on your income, compare your coverage options side-by-side, and if you choose, you can enroll in health insurance coverage.

If you purchase coverage through the Marketplace, you may be eligible for the premium tax credit. This refundable tax credit helps people with moderate incomes afford health insurance coverage they purchase through the Marketplace.

If you are eligible for the credit, you can choose to get it now by having some or all of the credit paid in advance. These payments go directly to your insurance company to lower what you pay out-of-pocket for your monthly premiums during 2014. Or you get it later by waiting to get the credit when you file your 2014 tax return in 2015.

For more information about your coverage options, financial assistance and the Marketplace, visit HealthCare.gov.