Security Health Plan applauds special enrollment period for last-minute Health Insurance Marketplace applications
CONTACT: Rebecca Normington, 715-221-9726, normington.rebecca@
EDITOR’S NOTE: Security Health Plan will hold enrollment fairs in Chippewa Falls and Rhinelander Monday, March 31.
MARSHFIELD – Security Health Plan of Wisconsin, Inc., is pleased with the federal government’s decision to prevent a last-minute breakdown of the Health Insurance Marketplace website and make sure anyone who wants to buy insurance is able to do so before enrollment ends.
The first open enrollment period for the Health Insurance Marketplace ends Monday, March 31. For most people, this will be the last chance to purchase health insurance coverage for 2014.
The federal government is concerned so many last-minute applications will be submitted that the system could be overwhelmed, so it will honor applications completed by April 15 if they were started before the enrollment deadline and applicants pay the first-month premium.
“It makes sense to allow those who have started an application in good faith to complete the enrollment if the system isn’t working,” said Marty Anderson, director of Marketing-Consumer Products, Security Health Plan. “We expect this to be a very busy final few days and this is a prudent precaution.”
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reported Wednesday that high consumer traffic in the final hours before the deadline could create a traffic jam that keeps people from completing their enrollment. To avoid that problem, CMS is creating a special enrollment period for consumers who were “in line” but did not complete the enrollment process in time.
“It’s important to emphasize that this isn’t an extension. People will need to begin their application before the deadline,” Anderson said. “Provided they meet the CMS criteria, these ‘in-line’ applicants will have coverage effective May 1.”
Since enrollment began in October 2013, about 24,000 Wisconsinites have purchased Security Health Plan coverage that complies with the Affordable Care Act, Anderson said.
Security Health Plan will hold enrollment fairs in Chippewa Falls and Rhinelander Monday and “we invite people to call us at 1-855-862-6859 for more details about these enrollment fairs or about the application process; or to stop at our Marshfield and Wausau offices to enroll in coverage,” Anderson said.
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About Security Health Plan
Security Health Plan is a not-for-profit health plan sponsored by Marshfield Clinic that serves more than 220,000 residents in 40 counties of Wisconsin. Accredited by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), Security Health Plan insures employees of large and small businesses, individuals and families, and administers self-funded employer health plans.
