Reminder: Health Insurance Open Enrollment Deadlines Coming

Health Insurance Must Be Purchased Before March 31st

Date: March 10, 2014
For more information contact: J.P. Wieske, Public Information Officer, (608) 266-2493 or jp.wieske@wisconsin.gov

Madison, WI—Insurance Commissioner Ted Nickel is reminding consumers that there are two Affordable Care Act (ACA) deadlines coming in the next several weeks.

The first deadline is March 15, 2014. In order to have health insurance coverage effective by April 1, 2014, consumers must have their insurance applications completed and submitted to the federal exchange by Saturday, March 15, 2014. Applications can be completed in the following ways:

1. Work with a local insurance agent
2. Contact a navigator or certified application counselor (for a complete list visit oci.wi.gov)
3. Visit the federal Web site, www.healthcare.gov
4. Call 1-800-318-2596 to speak to an exchange official

The second deadline is March 31, 2014, which is when ACA open enrollment ends. Health insurance applications submitted between March 16, 2014, and March 31, 2014, will have an effective date of May 1, 2014. If you don’t enroll by March 31, 2014, you may not be able to purchase private health insurance until the next open enrollment period starts. The only way you can buy a health plan outside open enrollment is if you qualify for a special enrollment period. The next open enrollment period will be November 15, 2014, to February 15, 2015.

The federal government requires all individuals and families to have health insurance, either through the federal marketplace or through an employer. If you do not have health insurance, a penalty may be assessed on your 2015 taxes by the Internal Revenue Service.

Created by the Legislature in 1871, Wisconsin’s Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) was vested with broad powers to ensure that the insurance industry responsibly and adequately met the insurance needs of Wisconsin citizens. Today, OCI’s

 mission is to lead the way in informing and protecting the public and responding to its insurance needs.