THE WHITE HOUSE’S deadline extension for national health-insurance signups does not apply to Washington state residents who want insurance coverage by Jan. 1 via Washington Healthplanner, www.wahealthplanfinder.org, the state’s health-care exchange.
Deadline for state residents is still 11:59 p.m. tonight (Monday, Dec. 23).
State residents who start applications in Healthplanfinder by 11:59 p.m. can complete them later if they experience problems getting applications finished and pay the premium as late as Jan. 15, officials said, for coverage beginning Jan. 1.
If you don’t qualify for a subsidy, or if your previous plan was discontinued, you can sign up for non-exchange commercial plans direct from insurers, who have their own deadlines. Contact a local insurance broker.
Tonight’s deadline applies if you want coverage through the health-care exchange to begin Jan. 1.
Otherwise, you have until March 31 to sign up for a plan to avoid paying a penalty for being uninsured.
If you don’t sign up by March 31, you won’t be able to buy private insurance until the next open enrollment period in the fall of 2014.
If you qualify for Medicaid (now known as Apple Health), you can sign up any time — unless you’re a returning client who has been notified you need to submit your annual review by Dec. 31. You must do that, or your coverage will be suspended.
FOR MORE ANSWERS: The toll-free Customer Support Center at 1-855-923-4633 (open until 8 p.m. tonight) or go to Washington Healthplanner’s Frequently Asked Questions at http://wahbexchange.org/files/4913/8757/6698/Dec__23_Enrollment_FAQs_FINAL_131220.pdf
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“Now’s a good time to visit Healthplanfinder site (first-person experience)” — http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2021968661_ptechinsuranceexchangexml.html
“Q&A: Answers to your most pressing questions about you and the Affordable Care Act” — https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20130929/NEWS/309299989.
