<p>“Can someone enroll in an exchange if they are laid off in February?”</p>
<p>Yes, as it’s a change in circumstances.</p>
<p>Same question again: When are you counted as not having insurance? At any time during the year? Only when you file?</p>
<p>If the exchanges aren’t open, are the health insurance companies still offering the individual plans like before the ACA, which a person could sign up for at any time?</p>
<p>As of now, mine is still offering plans. The deal is not to have a lapse in coverage for more than 62 or 63 days. </p>
<p>My Cobra allowed a 60 day window, after coverage ended. It proved far more expensive than picking up an interim plan.</p>
<p>One has to check how his or her plan is worded. I would also have gotten 3 years of Cobra coverage.</p>
<p>If this hasn’t been mentioned: “The initial open enrollment will begin October 1, 2013 and end March 31, 2014.” But, what we elect as early as October won’t take effect until 1/1.</p>
<p>I think I found my answer. Those uninsured for part of 2013 won’t face any penalties. </p>
<p>For 2014, the penalty doesn’t kick in if you are uninsured for three months or less. After that the penalty is pro-rated. 6 months of being uninsured faces a 50% penalty. </p>
<p>The fine or tax for 2014 will be for a family either $285 or 1% of Modified Adjusted Gross Income. </p>
<p>So given the costs of any of the Bronze to Gold plans, the penalty works out to be much cheaper, particularly for those who are laid off and need to save every dime. Obviously you are rolling the dice that you won’t become catastrophically ill, which for most people is a pretty good bet. Pay your prescriptions out of pocket, pay for routine appointments, pay the penalty and you still come out way ahead. Other things, like get into a car accident and the other guy’s auto insurance would pay for your treatment.</p>
<p>Even for something catastrophic, you’d pay out of pocket for less than a year and then get insurance in October.</p>
<p>" Obviously you are rolling the dice that you won’t become catastrophically ill, which for most people is a pretty good bet."
-Why? There is no pre-existing condition obstacle. this eventually destroy private insurance, but for now, they cannot deny you while you are in Emergency truck getting to the hospital, they have to insure you. then after your treatment, you drop them again. That was an idea for pre-existing condition NOT to be covered, but this has been removed. So, you wait untill you sick, then get insurance to cover, then after you all good (hopefully!!), you drop them and wait until you get sick again.</p>
<p>There are enrollment periods, this year it is Oct -March, in the future it will be fall, Oct-Dec, just like Medicare. There are exceptions to the enrollment period, like having a baby, getting married, losing a job with insurance, etc.</p>
<p>If you sign up the 1-15th of the month, your coverage begins on the 1st of the subsequent month. If you sign up the 16th-31st of the month, your coverage begins the beginning of the second month.</p>
<p>I have actually not seen any details as to the “must have insurance” date or form to enforce it, etc. Another very valid question that likely has an answer somewhere, but is not easy to find.</p>
<p>As I understand it, you can only sign up for insurance in October. (Which goes into effect in January? of the next year). </p>
<p>So in my friends case, unless she goes on Cobra, she will be uninsured for the rest of the year. Even if she signs up on the exchanges, she has to wait for insurance until January, right?</p>
<p>So if you’re uninsured and find that lump somewhere, you’re going to be paying out of pocket from then until the next January 1. At which point even if you have some very expensive disease treatment you will get insurance at the same cost as everyone else with no cap on lifetime costs.</p>
<p>Frankly for many people, simply saving the insurance costs, putting that aside for out of pocket care, makes better financial sense. Then pay out of pocket for the months you’re uninsured and if you can postpone the really expensive surgeries or drugs until you are insured.</p>
<p>Well, your risk is only several months. If you do not die, you can enroll and your condition will be covered.</p>
<p>No, you can sign up Oct 1 - Mar 31, this time. Enrolling in 2013 takes effect 1/1. That’s for the exchange. A direct policy is an alternative to Cobra. Until the exchange kicks in.</p>
<p>No, it doesn’t make sense to go uninsured from now through 12/31. You think the cost of monthly separate insurance equals or exceeds a catastrophe? Your friend should be looking at what plans cost, even the absolute minimum coverage, for the next 3 months. In case. Anything else is a very calculated risk. One hospital visit can exceed the insurance costs.</p>
<p>Miami, some have taken great pains here to be precise.</p>
<p>In regard to better financial sense, keep in mind that if we are talking about true catastrophic situation, we are talking about millions of dollars. Can any of us put that much aside? Well, apparently some here can, I cannot. But I do not need to think about it, I have 3 coverages at least for now. And then there are cheaper treatments in India by American trained physicians too, services that are used by others, we will have to get used to this option, since accessibility will decrease significantly, especially for those on govenrment programs. It will be less and less of docs accepting these patients and more of boutique variety (cash only)</p>
<p>And frankly a lot of medical care CAN be postponed with no chance of death. I’m thinking of several of my friends who’ve needed knee surgery lately, or elderly people needing knee replacements. My M-I-L postponed having a knee replacement for more than a year after it was recommended.</p>
<p>Miami, no, they will not enroll you automatically if you do not have insurance and get seriously ill or injured. You will be responsible for the cost of all you medical expenses incurred until the next open enrollment period.</p>
<p>I don’t know where you are getting your information but whoever is telling you that is wrong.</p>
<p>Yes, you are betting against a catastrophe by not getting the insurance. But for younger people, that’s likely a good bet.</p>
<p>lookingforward,
your user name is in contradiciton to how I feel. Glad to see though that some are this way, good for you!!!</p>
<p>No. Make that NO. This thread spent considerable time looking at the issue of uncovered costs. Break your leg, need ER attention, possibly surgery-- how’s youth protect you against that?</p>
<p>Yeah, M, I know that. But it’s not all hope and roses. I was looking ahead to my kids starting college.</p>
<p>Sorry, by no means I was talking about “automatic” enrollement". I was talking about coverage of pre-existing conditions, which will eventually collapse private insurances in addition to coverage of adult “kids” - LOL, I guess, 26 is still a kid and he may even have an income, he may have a $1million doller income (as an example) and still covered by parents till 26 and other aspects like older working longer and using Medicare as secondary, while using coverage at work as primary, there are other factors that are designed to destroy private insurance companies and roll everybody into national care, yeye, welcome …</p>
<p>^ Just saying: I think you missed about 2000 posts.</p>
<p>I missed about 4000 posts…</p>
<p>Taking my family as an example, we’ve never had a catastrophic medical situation. It would be interesting to see the statistics or the probability on any one person having a catastrophic medical situation. </p>
<p>My overall impression on the ACA is this: if this group of well-informed, educated people are having a hard time figuring out the ACA, what about the average American? The people who can name the winner of American Idol but can’t name the Vice-President?</p>