Some important deadlines are approaching for anyone needing to buy private health insurance through the health insurance Marketplace.
Open enrollment began Nov. 1, 2017. The deadline to sign up for new coverage beginning Jan. 1, or to change an existing health plan, is Dec. 15, 2017, except for people who qualify for a so-called Special Enrollment Period.
Open enrollment for private health insurance is six weeks shorter than it was last year. Elizabeth Williams, outreach and enrollment coordinator at Five Rivers Health Centers in Dayton, says many patients this year have been confused about what’s happening with the federal health insurance marketplace.
"The questions that I'm mostly hearing are about whether or not Marketplace still even exists because they are not advertising it this year, but it is still an available option for people to get insurance from."
Five Rivers saw 21,643 patients in 2016.
Congressional GOP lawmakers have been debating whether to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.
For help signing up for a plan, or for more information, contact Five Rivers at 937-734-4141. Or go to healthcare.gov.
