December 2nd, 2013 – Last week President Obama extended the deadline to December 23rd for those applying for January 1st, 2014 effective dates on new ObamaCare compliant health insurance plans. Those who purchase insurance by that date will have coverage beginning January 1.
For those enrolling through Connect for Health Colorado, after enrolling in the health plan the appropriate carrier will send you a bill. You need to make your first payment to the insurance carrier by January 10th, 2014 for your coverage will begin on January 1, 2014. If you pay after January 10th, 2013, your coverage will start later.
We still encourage customers to send in their payments as early as possible. Customers who need health care services after January 1st, but haven’t paid their premium yet will need to pay for the services and then submit a claim after their payment is received.
Coloradans who applied through Connect for Health Colorado by December 23rd, but didn’t receive their Medicaid determination can also get health insurance and pay the first month’s premium and then get the tax credit applied to the rest of 2014 payments. Coloradans can also purchase health insurance until December 23rd without applying for financial assistance and receive the tax credit, if eligible, when they file federal income taxes in 2015.
Open enrollment continues through March 31, 2014 the date by which nearly all Americans are required to have some form of health insurance or face a tax penalty.
During the rest of open enrollment, if you enroll between the 1st and 15th day of the month and pay your premium, your coverage begins the first day of the next month. So if you enroll on February 10, 2014, your coverage begins March 1, 2014.
If you enroll between the 16th and the last day of the month and pay your premium, your effective date of coverage will be the first day of the second following month. So if you enroll on February 16, 2014, your coverage starts on April 1, 2014.
