As I’m writing this in late October, HealthCare.gov is still suffering from significant malfunctions, thus delaying the enrollment process for the healthcare plans under the Affordable Care Act. The website is designated as the hub for the enrollment period for Florida and 36 other states. However, these serious issues on the website have made it exceptionally difficult (in some cases impossible) for people to get the health insurance plans.
On October 23, contractors of the website were telling the media that a fix for the problems were likely still weeks away. For those who encounter difficulties on the website (or who don’t have access to the Internet) but want to shop for plans on the marketplace, they can call a toll free number: (800) 318-2596.
The website does offer the capability to browse and compare individual or small business plans. In Florida, there are quite a few plans available, with some counties offering over 100 options. By comparison to the rest of the nation, our state is offering the second highest number of plans per person. While this is good because you know you have options, if you need to shop for plans, it’s best to do your homework and start comparing them now. The plans are offered in levels (Catastrophic, Silver, Gold, and Platinum), and depending on your income and the number of people in your household, you may qualify for a subsidy that would lower the cost of the plan. We’ve included a chart below that should help you determine if your household might qualify for a subsidy.
Chart courtesy of HealthCare.gov.
