NY State of Health Enrollment Deadline Nears

Individuals who are planning to buy health coverage through the NY State of Health marketplace have until December 23^rd to do so if they want coverage to start on New Year’s Day.

Dec. 23, 2013, is the deadline for individuals to enroll in a health insurance plan in the marketplace for coverage to begin on Jan. 1, 2014. You can still enroll in a plan until the end of March, but coverage will start on or after Feb. 1, 2014.

NY State of Health at nystateofhealth.ny.gov is the online marketplace where you can shop, compare and enroll in a new health plan.

“It’s not too late for individuals to do their homework and enroll in a health plan that participates in the marketplace,” said Art Wingerter, president, Univera Healthcare. “So far, we’ve been impressed by the number of individuals who’ve researched their options and called us or used our online tools.”

In October and November, more than 3,000 people used the Univera Healthcare online tax credit calculator. About 6,000 individuals also visited the company’s online provider finder tool. Many individuals use the provider finder tool to determine whether their doctors and hospitals are part of the Univera Healthcare network. The health insurer’s call center daily handles hundreds of marketplace-related phone calls.

To research your options:
· Learn about health insurance. Watch videos or read up at http://www.youtube.com/user/Univerahealthcare, univerahealthcare.com/findcoverage, ornystateofhealth.ny.gov.

· See if you’re eligible for financial help. Your premium may be reduced if your household income is below 400 percent of the federal poverty level, which is $45,960 for individuals or $94,200 for a family of four. For help, go to chooseunivera.com/TCCalculator.

· Determine your health care needs. List your typical health services and costs in a given year. Use the list to pick a plan that fits your needs. If you go to the doctor a lot, for example, you may want a plan with lower copays for doctor visits.

· See which health plan works with your doctor. It can be costly to see a doctor, pharmacy or hospital that’s not in a health plan’s “network.” You may need to check this information with your provider or health insurer. For help, go to univerahealthcare.com/findprovider.

· Consider all costs. Consider all health plan costs, such as premiums, deductibles and copays.
Individuals who have marketplace-related questions, including inquiries about non-subsidized coverage, can call Univera Healthcare at 1-888-370-6947.