Have an Obamacare plan? Have a life change like a move or marriage or new income? Then you have to report these changes to the Health Insurance Marketplace. That’s because life changes like these can affect your Marketplace coverage. For example, if you move, you may need to choose a different plan. And if your income drops, you may be eligible for financial help to lower the cost of your premium.
Reporting these changes is simple. You can use HealthSherpa, a verified partner of HealthCare.gov, to make updates to your Marketplace account. HealthSherpa gives you a straightforward, seamless process. Using HealthSherpa, you’ll also have access to the knowledge of our Consumer Advocate Team if you need any help.
How to make changes to your Obamacare health coverage
If you want to make changes to your Obamacare plan, you’ll need to update your account information in the Marketplace. While you can do this through HealthCare.gov, doing so through HealthSherpa.com is much simpler. And it’s a simpler process that comes with the support of our Consumer Advocate Team.
If you’ve used HealthSherpa before, you can log into your account here. If this is your first time using HealthSherpa, simply create an account here. From there, update your account in the “Report a Life Change” category. You will then continue through the rest of the Marketplace application. If it’s Open Enrollment Period, you can enroll in a new plan with your updated information right then. In most states, Open Enrollment Period (OEP) is from November 1 to January 15 in most states.
Not OEP? Then you can shop and enroll in a new plan only if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). SEPs only happen if you have a Qualifying Life Event like moving, getting married, or losing your health insurance coverage.
You can contact the Consumer Advocate Team at (855)-772-2663 for any help on how to log-in to your Marketplace account through the HealthSherpa platform and to get guidance on the best Marketplace strategy for you.
Renewing your health insurance plan during Open Enrollment Period
To renew your health insurance during Open Enrollment Period, the first thing you’ll need to prepare for Open Enrollment are your re-enrollment letters. By November 1, 2019, you will get two pieces of mail. One will be from your insurance company. And the other will be directly from the Marketplace. Both of these letters will contain key information you need to make changes to your Obamacare plan for 2020.
Your letter from your health insurance company will tell you first and foremost if your current 2019 plan will be available again in 2020. If it isn’t, your insurance company will likely suggest a similar or alternate plan, and mention this in this letter. If your plan is remaining for 2020, the letter will let you know any changes to the details of the plan for the upcoming year, including any differences in copays, prescription drug coverage, and provider networks. It will also let you know what your monthly premiums will be for 2020, after your premium tax credit is applied if applicable. This subsidy amount will most likely be calculated based on the 2019 information you submitted when you applied for your Marketplace coverage. It may also be pulled from additional public records.
Your Marketplace letter will outline any information you need to provide to get a premium tax credit. You may need to submit documents for this, like tax or household income information. You’ll also get instructions on how to update your existing application to make sure you get the correct savings and subsidies.
Be sure you keep both of these letters in a safe spot, as you’ll need them on hand when you’re re-enrolling during Open Enrollment Period.
Switching health insurance plans during Open Enrollment Period
If you want to switch to a different Obamacare plan, remember that you will be automatically enrolled in your old plan if you do not make changes in your Marketplace account. So again, logging into your account to update it and make any changes is absolutely essential. Don’t forget that you can begin to log-in and make changes as soon as November 1.
The first step is logging in to your account through HealthSherpa. Next, you will be prompted through the online application. In doing so, you will be able to make updates to information about your income and household. And from there, you will be able to see the various plans available to you for 2020 based on that information. You’ll also see the premium amounts for those plans, and the amounts after any subsidies for which you qualify.
Don’t forget that the Consumer Advocate Team can help you comparison-shop the Marketplace. Every plan is different, and offers different kinds of potential cost savings and plan benefits. The Consumer Advocate Team can utilize their expertise to help you get set-up in an Obamacare plan that works best for you. And by using HealthSherpa to re-enroll in Obamacare during the Open Enrollment Period, you can access a simpler and more streamlined process for re-enrollment.
About HealthSherpa
Not familiar with HealthSherpa? We offer all of the same plans at the exact same prices as the government’s HealthCare.gov. As a certified partner site of the government, we are able to offer a simpler enrollment (and re-enrollment) process for Marketplace health insurance and Medicaid, a website that’s easier to use, and an exceptional Consumer Advocate Team trained to help you navigate each step of the process, including re-enrollment. And the Consumer Advocate Team, who come from the world of public health and non-profit advocacy, not sales, can help you with updating your information to ensure you get the most cost savings available to you in the coming year, even if you’re sticking with your current plan for 2020.