North Carolinians already know that we live in a wonderful and special place. It is not often that you can make a trip from the most beautiful mountain tops to the crystal clear waters of our coast in just a day. With North Carolina having so much to offer, it is not surprising that our population is growing, and more and more people are choosing North Carolina to call home.

Because the health Insurance industry is regulated partially at the state level, living in North Carolina can directly affect the health insurance that is available to you, and how and when you can apply. Whether you have deep roots or have just become a resident of “The Old North State”, these are some things that all North Carolinians should know about North Carolina Health Insurance:

What Types of Coverage are available to me in NC?
Residents of North Carolina have two major types of individual/family insurance available to them, Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliant, also referred to as “Obamacare”, and other alternatives like Short Term coverage. ACA-compliant plans are required to cover the same set of essential health benefits under the Affordable Care Act laws. Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina offers the broad majority of these plans across the entire state. Short Term plans are not ACA compliant, but allow individuals and families to enroll outside of Open Enrollment Periods without a Qualifying Event. These plans do not cover pre-existing conditions, but are often more affordable than ACA compliant plans.

When Can I Apply?
The Open Enrollment Period is a yearly period when individuals and families can enroll in health insurance. Open enrollment for 2018 will begin on November 1st and last until December 15th. Open Enrollment is a very important time period because all individuals are eligible to enroll. If you miss Open Enrollment, you must qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. To qualify for Special Enrollment, you have to experience a Qualifying Life Event. Qualifiers such as getting married, having a baby or losing coverage provided by an employer could make you eligible to enroll during Special Enrollment, as long as you enroll within 60 days of the life altering event.

Is it Affordable?
One of the amenities of the Affordable Care Act is federal tax credits, also known as subsidies. Subsidies are designed to lower the cost of health insurance for low and middle income individuals or families. If you are eligible for a subsidy, it could greatly reduce the cost of your monthly premium. Generate a Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC health insurance quote to find out more about whether you are eligible for a subsidy.

At NC Health Plans/Jerry Ballard & Associates Inc., we love living in North Carolina and take pride in serving North Carolinians statewide. Our website allows you to generate quotes, shop for plans, and apply online at your convenience. If we can assist you in selecting a health insurance plan, please call us at 888-765-5400. We are North Carolinians serving North Carolinians!

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.

The annual enrollment period is closed for 2014.   But, you can still get a quote and apply if you have a Qualifying Life Event so you can enroll during our Special Enrollment Period.  Otherwise, you will not have the opportunity to apply until our Open Enrollment which starts 11/15/2014 for a 1/1/2015 effective date.  When completing the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina application, you will have the option to select which Qualifying Life Event may be applicable to you.  If you have extraordinary circumstances, you should talk with the Marketplace to determine if you can enroll without one of the Qualifying Life Events outlined below.  Please call our office 888-765-5400 to talk with one of our qualified representatives who can help guide you through the process of applying and assist you in determining if you could be subsidy eligible.

Special circumstances for enrolling outside of the open enrollment period include:

•Loss of minimum coverage (employer coverage, government plans, etc.)

•Adding a dependent through birth, adoption or marriage

•Gaining citizenship

•Enrollment/non-enrollment errors by the federal Marketplace or the US Department of Health and Human Services

•Qualified health plan violates the material provision of its contract with the individual

•Newly eligible for a subsidy or a change in the amount of subsidy you are eligible for

•Moving to a new state

•American Indian/Alaska Native status (may change once a month)

Apply for your Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina coverage today if you have a Qualified Life Event that enables you to enroll during the Special Enrollment Period.  Below we have outlined some examples of these qualified life events.  To generate your quote and get started click here.  BCBSNC offers an array of health insurance plans that will fit any budget and are all ACA compliant.

Marriage, having a baby, adopting a child or placing a child for adoption or foster care, moving outside your insurer’s coverage area, gaining citizenship, leaving incarceration.
Gaining status as member of an Indian tribe. Members of federally recognized Indian tribes can sign up for or change plans once per month throughout the year.
For people already enrolled in Marketplace coverage: Having a change in income or household status that affects eligibility for premium tax credits or cost-sharing reductions
 Losing other health coverage due to losing job-based coverage, divorce, the end of an individual policy plan year in 2014, COBRA expiration, aging off a parent’s plan, losing eligibility for Medicaid or CHIP, and similar circumstances. Important: Voluntarily ending coverage doesn’t qualify you for a special enrollment period. Neither does losing coverage that doesn’t qualify as minimum essential coverage.

For more information on health insurance coverage in North Carolina, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our professional agents. Our agency provides coverage for health insurance in North Carolina through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC). It would be our pleasure to help you navigate through the Health Care Reform changes in accordance with the new regulations of Obama care. Call us for details.

Open enrollment for health insurance has ended; however you may still qualify for a special enrollment period due to a qualifying event.  Some examples of these qualifying events include:

1. Marriage, having a baby, adopting a child or placing a child for adoption or foster care, moving outside your insurer’s coverage area, gaining citizenship, leaving incarceration.
2. Gaining status as member of an Indian tribe. Members of federally recognized Indian tribes can sign up for or change plans once per month throughout the year.
3. For people already enrolled in Marketplace coverage: Having a change in income or household status that affects eligibility for premium tax credits or cost-sharing reductions
4.  Losing other health coverage—due to losing job-based coverage, divorce, the end of an individual policy plan year in 2014, COBRA expiration, aging off a parent’s plan, losing eligibility for Medicaid or CHIP, and similar circumstances. Important: Voluntarily ending coverage doesn’t qualify you for a special enrollment period. Neither does losing coverage that doesn’t qualify as minimum essential coverage.

For more information on health insurance coverage in North Carolina, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our professional agents. Our agency provides coverage for health insurance in North Carolina through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC). It would be our pleasure to help you navigate through the Health Care Reform changes in accordance with the new regulations of Obama care. Call us for details.