What To Do If You Miss The Open Enrollment Deadline

How To Get The Coverage You Need After February 15th

If you wake up on February 15th with a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach it may be because you forgot to get your sweetheart something for Valentine’s Day, or because it is the last day of the current Affordable Care Act (ACA) open enrollment period. Do not wait until this deadline to get the health coverage you need or you could be stuck without coverage and facing tax penalty fees in the New Year. 

If, however, life gets in the way and you are unable to get ACA-compliant health care coverage by that date, there are a few things you can do to try to remedy the situation. They are:

• See If You Qualify For Special Enrollment Period: If you began your application process but were unable to get it completed by the deadline, ask for an extension on your enrollment period. The government is granting extensions for some who had complications with their applications. Also, if you had serious life changes occur during the open enrollment period such as getting married or divorced, adopting or having a child, or losing your job you may have a qualifying life event that will enable you to get an extension of up to sixty days.
• Get Other Coverage: If all else fails and you cannot secure an extension, you can still get health care through a short-term insurance plan. Although you will still be eligible to be hit with tax penalties, you will at least have the insurance you need to avoid high health expenses until the next open enrollment period.  

Whether you remember to secure insurance before February 15th or you miss the deadline, contact Sackett & Associates Insurance Services in Sonoma County, California. Our team of Affordable Care Act experts can help you get the coverage you need to be protected in 2015. Do not hesitate to call us today!