2017 Open Enrollment is Approaching Are You Ready

Open Enrollment is Approaching: Are You Ready?

Open Enrollment is just around the corner, and it’s important that you provide your clients with up-to-date details about coverage options that fit their health concerns, budget, and lifestyle needs.

If you’re enrolling clients in ACA coverage, here are some important dates to remember:

November 1, 2017

Open Enrollment Period begins

December 15, 2017

Open Enrollment Period ends

January 1, 2018

Plans sold during Open Enrollment become effective

Your clients will undoubtedly have questions about which options address their needs as well as provide affordable and quality coverage. While it is not a substitute for ACA or other major medical plans, short-term medical coverage may be an appropriate option for those who are:

  • Graduating from college and/or in need of replacing their student insurance
  • Transitioning between jobs
  • Waiting for employer insurance to begin
  • Rolling off parents’ coverage
  • Retiring soon and waiting for Medicare coverage to become effective

You may also have clients who miss the Open Enrollment period and reach out to you at that time to help them address their coverage needs. Short-term medical coverage may be an appropriate option for those clients as well.

Short-term medical plans can provide features to your clients such as:
  • Flexibility in timing of enrollment – there is not special enrollment period Preventive care for individuals as well as for families
  • Lower premiums than other types of plans
  • Access to providers of choice
  • Convenience of filing a claim in provider’s office with an additional option to submit their own claims for reimbursement

It’s important that your clients understand there are limitations associated with short-term medical plans such as restrictions for pre-existing conditions, maximum coverage periods, and restrictions on renewability. Ensure consumers fully understand the details, exclusions, limitations, and restrictions of any short-term medical plans prior to making a purchasing decision.

STM coverage is not intended to be a replacement or alternative to ACA or other major medical plans nor does it provide the minimum essential health benefits that are required and it won’t help to avoid the fee for not carrying health insurance.

Remember: There is no special enrollment period for short-term medical plans. This may provide you more flexibility in helping your clients manage their health coverage needs.

Learn more about Open Enrollment and short-term medical coverage by:

Health Insurance Innovations, Inc. is a leading developer and administrator of affordable, web-based individual health insurance plans and ancillary products. We help consumers address their health insurance needs by offering access to a number of products offered by various insurance carriers.

For agent use only – not for use with the general public.

Open Enrollment is Approaching: Are You Ready?