Act now to sign up for health insurance for 2024!
Do you need health insurance? Are you looking for a more affordable plan? Or a plan that covers more of your needs? The Affordable Care Act (ACA) health care marketplace is currently holding its open enrollment period. If you sign up for a plan by Dec. 15, 2023, your coverage will begin Jan. 1, 2024.
Why do I need health insurance?
Health insurance is important for people with lupus. If you don’t have health insurance, you may not be able to see a doctor when you need one.
Having lupus can be expensive. The best way to make sure that you have access to the specialist care and prescription drugs that you need is to be covered by health insurance.
What is open enrollment?
Open enrollment is a window of time each year when anyone can find a new health insurance plan through the ACA health insurance marketplace, or change the plan they already have through the marketplace. If you miss the window, you may have to wait until the next open enrollment period to get a new plan or change your current plan.
This year’s open enrollment is from Nov. 1, 2023, to Jan. 15, 2024. But if you want your new plan to begin by Jan. 1, 2024, you need to sign up by Dec. 15, 2023.
What is the health insurance marketplace?
The health insurance marketplace is a shopping and enrollment service for medical insurance created by the ACA in 2010. It includes information on programs that help people pay for coverage, ways to save on monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs, and other programs.
The marketplace is a vital health insurance option for people with lupus because it allows access to a variety of health insurance plans along with tools you can use to compare them. You can also see if you qualify for help paying for health insurance through a tax credit or subsidy. You can apply for coverage online, by phone or with a paper application. You cannot be denied coverage because you have lupus.
What kind of plan should I choose?
It’s important to choose a plan that covers the type of care you are likely to need. This may not be the plan that costs the least upfront. If the care you need isn’t covered, then you will be responsible for the cost and that could be more expensive in the long run. You can find helpful advice on how to choose a plan in our Health Insurance Guide for People with Lupus. Think carefully about what you will need for your lupus care and choose a plan based on that.
If you need health insurance, now is the time to check out your options at www.healthcare.gov. You can see the details and prices of different plans, and check to see if you are eligible for subsidies or even another program such as Medicaid or Medicare. Health insurance is the best way to make sure that you get the care you need when you need it.
Our health education specialists are specially trained to provide people affected by lupus with non-medical support, disease education, information, and helpful resources. You have lupus, but you are not alone.
Ashley Holden, MEd, CHES
Nurse Health Educator
Ashley Holden is a Health Educator at the Lupus Foundation of America’s National Office. Ashley brings several years of experience in the health education field as well as health insurance knowledge. Read Bio