888-765-5400No Qualifying Life Event? – Try Temporary Health Coverage
Under the ACA, you are now required to have a Qualifying Life Event (QLE) in order to enroll in a health insurance plan outside of Open Enrollment. A Qualifying Life Event is some kind of special circumstance that allows you to enroll in coverage under a Special Enrollment Period and some common QLE’s include loss of access to minimum essential coverage through an employer or Medicaid, a move to North Carolina or to a different zip code within NC, or adding a dependent through birth or adoption.
If you do not have one of the life events, however, you will be unable to enroll in health coverage until the next Open Enrollment, which begins November 1, 2016 with coverage starting January 1, 2017. Unfortunately, this rule excludes many individuals and can make it difficult, if not impossible, to get a health insurance plan. If you find yourself in this position you may be asking: What can I do to get health insurance?
The answer is Temporary Health Coverage. A Temporary Health Insurance Plan can offer you the coverage you need to fill the gap between now and the next Open Enrollment Period and there are many benefits to a short term health plan. For instance, most temporary insurance plans are less expensive than regular health insurance plans. They are a low-cost solution that could protect your financial security should you be faced with an unexpected illness or injury. You can also be approved for short term plans as soon as the very next day and coverage can be in place anywhere from 1 month to 11 months, whatever your circumstances require.
Although these plans won’t cover preexisting conditions and will not keep you from incurring a tax penalty (unless you are exempt), these plans can protect you in catastrophic circumstances and help give you the peace of mind that comes from knowing you will be covered in an emergency. If you are still uninsured for 2016, consider a temporary health insurance plan.
For more information on North Carolina insurance coverage, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our experienced and professional agents.