As we enter the last month of the year, what should patients know about ObamaCare?
First, patients must understand the deadlines. Patients have until December 23, 2013 to sign up in order to have coverage starting January 1, 2014. Additionally, patients must have health insurance by March 31, 2014 in order to avoid a financial penalty for not carrying insurance.
There are many different avenues for patients to sign up for insurance. The federal government website is healthcare.gov The website can now handle more than 750,000 users per day. If the patient gets a screen that asks them to wait, they can try at a different time and should be able to get through to enrollment without any wait. Patients can also sign up through navigators or by calling 1-800-318-2596.
Second, small businesses won’t be able to use the federal government’s website until November 2014. The federal government announced last week that the “SHOP” (small business exchange site) was delayed for a year. Patients who run or work for a small business may still select insurance, however, they will need to use a broker or enroll directly through the insurance company.
Lastly, patients should know that ObamaCare does not effect the majority of patients. Medicaid or Medicare patients will not see any changes in their insurance as a result of ObamaCare.
Enrollment for Medicare ends this Saturday, December 7, 2013. It is important to explain to seniors that they should not get confused between the Medicare enrollment deadline this Saturday and the ObamaCare deadline later this month.
Keeping your patients informed about ObamaCare helps both the patients and your practice.
Tell us how your are educating your patients about ObamaCare? Share your ideas with us by clicking on the comment button below. We’d love to hear from you.
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