Obamacare is here to stay, but open enrollment for 2014 ends March 31. Don’t wait to get covered!
On March 23, 2014, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) celebrates its fourth anniversary of being signed into law. Also known as Obamacare, the law has helped millions of Americans obtain affordable, quality coverage — many for the first time.
According to ACASignups.net, enrollments in Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) through the Obamacare marketplace are expected to reach 5.5 million on March 23. That’s in addition to the nearly 5 million people who obtained coverage due to Medicaid expansion under the law and other enrollments that bring the grand total to 11.9 million to date. (Check out the site for a complete breakdown of the numbers.)
But just as important as the total numbers are the individual stories of people who are being helped by Obamacare. Andreea Prundeanu, a 29-year-old doctoral candidate at Michigan State University in Lansing, is one of them.
Concern about getting sick weighed heavily on her as she was working hard toward her future. She was uninsured for three years after she turned 26 and could no longer stay on her parents’ plan. Prundeanu enrolled in a Silver-level plan through Healthcare.gov. Because of her low income as a student, she was eligible for financial assistance — and now pays just $5.23 a month for coverage.
She’s thrilled to have the peace of mind coverage offers.
Before the Marketplace, I shopped in vain for a private health insurance plan that I could afford and that offered the coverage I needed and wanted as a woman. I now have comprehensive coverage at a very affordable rate.
Don’t forget the other benefits Obamacare delivers to consumers: No more lifetime dollar limits on coverage, no more being turned away because of a pre-existing condition, better access to free preventive care to stay healthy — there’s a long list of benefits for consumers, along with plenty of facts to debunk the myths flying around.
More and more Americans are now aware of the financial assistance available to buy coverage through the Marketplace. With the deadline for 2014 enrollment on March 31, Erin Knott, Michigan state director of Enroll America, encourages people not to wait until the last minute to get help enrolling.
There are a number of ways to get covered before March 31:
- Visit Healthcare.gov
- Find an in-person enrollment assister using the Get Covered America locator
- Call the Marketplace hotline at 1-800-318-2596
Some Obamacare opponents are saying they’d rather pay the fine for not having health insurance than pay for coverage. That’s pretty silly. Spend your money wisely, on healthcare coverage that will keep you well and save you money in the long run.
[Photos courtesy of Enroll America.]
