March 5, 2021  By Timothy Perry

January 28, 2021 - President Joe Biden signed an executive order giving access to affordable healthcare for America’s uninsured through May 15, 2021. This package of health care-related executive orders and other initiatives, reopened the HealthCare.gov web-portal for a special three-month enrollment period that started on Feb. 15.

Americans without health insurance, many of them suffering from Covid-19 job losses and subsequent healthcare insurance losses have a second chance to get on their state’s health insurance marketplace options offered through Obamacare (Affordable Care Act) well beyond the normal December cut off or 60-day employment change window.

This “grace period” (special enrollment period) is crucial because as of June 2020, an estimated 7.7 million workers lost their employer-sponsored health insurance due to the pandemic and the Health Insurance Marketplace® is typically much more affordable than COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act). Almost 30 million Americans were uninsured in 2019. The pandemic caused that number to grow past 31 million in 2020 and would likely show no signs or declining without some sort of governmental assistance.

Here is what you need to do!

Go to HealthCare.gov or your state-run marketplace and review your options. Make sure you are not eligible for Medicaid (HealthCare.gov has a calculator) or Medicare because you are likely ineligible for the Health Insurance Marketplace® if you are eligible for either one.

Medicaid: A program that provides health coverage for low-income families and children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with disabilities.

Medicare: A U.S. federal government health insurance program that subsidizes healthcare services for people age 65 or older, younger people who meet specific eligibility criteria, and individuals with certain diseases

Do not understate your income!

If you estimate substantially less then you actually end up making for 2021 you will potentially have to pay back a large sum of money once everything is reconciled come tax season. You could owe part or all the monthly subsidy you received. Yes, potentially thousands of dollars.

Millions of Americans continue to face uncertainty in the aftermath of the coorona virus pandemic. Thanks to the Biden administration, being uninsured and then contracting the virus or any other medical issue no longer must add to their fears or potentially cause financial ruin.

Get Covered, Get Vaccinated and Get Back To Normal

Learn more at Health Insurance Marketplace® - Healthcare.gov or call 800-318-2696 (available 24/7)