It’s important for all healthcare providers to be informed about the year end changes in ObamaCare. Keeping your patients informed is a big part of providing great customer service. Since many of your currently uninsured patients may be able to obtain insurance, it is important for them to be aware of the changes.
Patients still must sign up for ObamaCare by December 23, 2013, however, they will now have until December 31, 2013 to pay their first month’s premium to secure insurance coverage starting January 1, 2014.
Further, ObamaCare’s high risk pool was slated to end December 31, 2013 for those patients with pre-existing conditions. The high risk pool will now be extended until January 31, 2014 in order to give patients enough time to secure new coverage.
The Government is also encouraging private health plans to allow patients to make their first premium payment in the first days of January and still have coverage for January. Patients should check with their individual health plans to determine what date the premium must be paid. Aetna, for example, has decided to allow patients to pay their premium by January 8, 2014 to have coverage in January.
HHS is also encouraging private insurers to continue allowing patients to fill prescriptions and see their physicians under their old health plans to secure a bridge between their new plan and their old plan. Healthcare providers should be aware that they may need to bill the January service under the old health plan.
Healthcare providers should stay tuned as this is both a confusing and exciting time for healthcare. Rickard & Associates will continue to keep you updated as these changes happen.
Tell us what strategies your practice is using to keep patients informed in 2014? Share your ideas with us by clicking on the comment button below. We’d love to hear from you.
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