When the Affordable Care Act, sometimes called Obamacare, passed the United States Congress in 2010, it included an individual mandate requiring everyone in the United States to have health insurance coverage or pay a federal income tax penalty. The purpose was to lower premiums while ensuring that there was enough money available to cover the costs of the claims filed.

Flexible spending accounts are employer-owned accounts available to employees for healthcare-related spending. Employees can take advantage of these subsidies by indicating the total amount they’d like placed in the account at the beginning of the year, then using those pre-tax funds for copays, prescriptions and more. To cover the funds, employers withhold a portion of each paycheck. While this system allows individuals to access money for medical care when they need it, there is one drawback: Any funds left in the account by the end of the year are forfeited. This means that as the year draws to a close, you may want to use your remaining balance. Fortunately, there are many FSA eligible expenses you can take advantage of.

​It’s that time of year! As soon as October closes out and Halloween is over, Open Enrollment 2020 begins on November 1, 2019. Health insurance is important, but costs continue to rise. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) purports to make healthcare accessible to all and subsidies supplement the costs. It can be a confusing process, but here is what you need to know about subsidies and Covered California in 2020. 

​Every year, families and individuals are given an opportunity to change their health insurance plans for any reason. This period is called Open Enrollment, and it falls at the end of the year. For most states, Open Enrollment 2020 extends from November 1, 2019 through December 15, 2019. California’s Open Enrollment period is longer and extends from October 15, 2019 through January 15, 2020. As the day approaches, you may be wondering if you should change your Covered California insurance plan. Here are a few things you should consider before making such an important decision.

​Though the federal government repealed the health insurance mandate penalty via the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, Covered California plans to restore it in 2020. This is just one of many reasons individuals should not miss open enrollment, which is, once again, upon us.