Monday is the deadline to sign up for private health
insurance in the new online markets created by President Barack Obama’s
health care law. So far, about 4 out of every 5 people enrolling have
qualified for tax credits to reduce the cost of their premiums.
Here’s what you need to know:
—
The deadline is at midnight EDT for the states where the federal
government is running the sign-up website; states running their own
exchanges set their own deadlines.
— You can sign up online by
going to HealthCare.gov or your state insurance exchange. If you don’t
know what your state marketplace is called, HealthCare.gov will direct
you.
—You can call 1-800-318-2596 to sign up by phone or get help from an enrollment specialist.
—Check online for sign-up centers that may be open locally, offering in-person assistance.
—If
you started an application by Monday but didn’t finish, perhaps because
of errors, missing information or website glitches, you can take
advantage of a grace period. The government says it will accept paper
applications until April 7 and take as much time as necessary to handle
unfinished cases on HealthCare.gov.
—Be prepared for the possibility of long wait times.
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