Is open enrollment extended for 2021?

The national Open Enrollment Period when you can join a health insurance plan for 2022 is six weeks long-lasting from November 1, 2021, to January 15, 2022.

Health insurance open enrollment is coming up for millions of Americans and it’s more important than ever to have a health plan that is right for you and your family, especially as we continue to navigate the COVID 19 pandemic today.

What is open enrollment? 

Is the time every year where millions of Americans have the opportunity to choose or change their health insurance plans for their upcoming year

When can people purchase health insurance? 

The first thing to know is open enrollment periods aren’t the same for everyone but there are key dates to keep in mind depending on where you buy your coverage. For 180 million or so Americans who buy coverage through their employer, there is typically a two to 2 week period sometime between September and December.

If you are covered through medicare there is a specific period the medicare annual enrollment is between October 15 and December 7th and then lastly if you buy an individual plan through a state exchange those vary a little bit by state, but definitely between November and December as well.

What are some tips that can help people pick the right plan or even save money on their health care? 

I think the key thing is to try to take a little bit of time to see how well your current plan meets your needs and be sure to understand and compare both the costs and the benefits of each plan. This will help find what works best for you and your family. Also for a lot of people, a good first step is to make sure you understand the various health insurance terms so that you know the diff between premium and deductibles, copays, what is co-insurance, and how that impacts your cost. 

Another tip is to try to anticipate next year’s health expenses. If you have chronic conditions, monthly medications, or even if you know you will be having surgery, or having a child this will allow you to compare the differences between the plan designs to know what you might spend as a family and how the deductibles and of pocket maximums will impact you. 

Right now you should consider plans that offer virtual care amidst COVID 19. These Visits are designed to be an easier and more affordable way to talk to a doctor about common health issues, and so you can do this on your phone, on your tablet, or a computer. 

And lastly, definitely dont forget about your prescription plan., for most people, the prescription benefit is what they use the most and so knowing how to get the most out of your prescription plan can help save you costs. 

For example, there can be lower-cost alternatives available to you like generics or even mail-order offerings that can save you some money. 

What about wellness programs,

A lot of companies are offering those right now and you can give incentives that reward you for doing certain things like taking healthier actions, completing health surveys, exercising regularly, or even avoiding smoking, many medicare advantage plans now offer gym memberships and wellness programs at no additional costs.

For people to access a wellness program, surveys show that about 2 quarters of them believe that that initiative improved their health. 

Finally, I think dont forget the ancillary benefits that you might be offered, dental, vision, hearing all of those things can bring value to you and your family as well. 

for more health insurance tips you can visit our website or contact us at 661-585-0834

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