Things You Need to Know to Bring You Up to Speed on Getting Health Coverage in Iowa

Need to know:

• The Marketplace is open now, but it does close. Open Enrollment Health Insurance Marketplace opened on November 1st. To have coverage on January 1, you must enroll by December 15th. Consumers can enroll in Medicaid at any time throughout the year.
• Always start at with healthcare.gov. Although some other states use their own website, the official website, www.healthcare.gov will direct you to the state-based market place. All comprehensive plans will be there when you need it.
• You can Enroll online, over the phone, or in-person. Everyone’s schedules are different, find an enrollment option that works for you. To enroll online, log on to the official ACA marketplace at healthcare.gov. To enroll over the phone, call the market place call center at 1-800-318-2596. Or, to enroll in person, visit your local health center. If you are unsure where to make you in-person appointment check Get Covered America to find local application assisters.
• Comprehensive coverage at an affordable price is possible. The coverage plans through the Health Insurance Marketplace must include benefits such as mental health care, maternity care, prescription drug coverage, hospital services, and many more. You can rest assured knowing that you will get the best coverage for you and your family. Most shoppers will qualify for discounts based on your income. Last year, 8 of every 10 shoppers qualified for a plan for less than $100/ month.
• #GetCovered is more than just a Hashtag. There are so many reasons to get affordable coverage. A few of them include peace of mind when accidents happen, financial security, and quality care. Health insurance is available for all Iowans to enroll in your personalized plan today!

Myths:

There are so many myths surrounding getting Health Insurance through the marketplace. Here we will dispel some of the most common myths about ACA.

• I don’t need health insurance. No one plans to get sick or hurt, but most people need medical care at some point. Health insurance covers these costs and offers many other important benefits. Health insurance covers essential health benefits critical to maintaining your health and treating illness and accidents. Health insurance protects you from unexpected, high medical costs. You pay less for covered in-network health care, even before you meet your deductible. You get free preventive care, like vaccines, screenings, and some check-ups, even before you meet your deductible.
• Financial help to lower premiums and out-of-pocket costs is no longer available. Financial assistance is still available for low and middle-income consumers to help lower the cost of their plan. In fact, more than 8 out of 10 consumers last year qualified for a tax credit.
• The marketplace is not stable, and premiums are skyrocketing. In fact, premium price increases for 2019 are expected to be much lower than in previous years, and some states will even see price decreases. CMS recently announced a national average drop of 1.5 percent in premiums across states using HealthCare.Gov.
• I am no longer protected from discrimination for having a pre-existing condition. All of the consumer protections created by the ACA are still intact, and all plans sold by HealthCare.Gov must provide comprehensive coverage and cannot charge a consumer more because of their health status or medical history.
• Insurers are dropping out. The highest number of insurers are participating this year since 2015. There will be 23 more insurers participating in HealthCare.Gov states and 29 insurers are expanding their coverage to additional counties in 2019 compared to 2018. Overall 58 percent of enrollees in all 39 states using HealthCare.Gov will have three or more insurers to choose from.