Health Insurance Marketplace, and the Affordable Care Act

October 1 marks the beginning of open enrollment for those who do not have health insurance. Do you know what that means to you and your family? If you are not sure if you need to take part or not, start now by visiting HealthCare.gov.  You can find answers to many of your questions on the "Individuals" page at www.healthcare.gov/families/, such as what the Marketplace is, what the insurance covers, what your rights are, what to do if you are self-employed. If you already have health insurance, there are answers about what the Affordable Care Act already does for you.

Some facts that everyone needs to know:

• Pennsylvania residents will need to use HealthCare.gov to apply for coverage, compare available plans, and enroll. 
• Starting in 2014, health insurance plans can't refuse to cover you or charge you more just because you have a pre-existing health condition. (Unless you keep your previous individual insurance, which is considered "grandfathered" in and does not have to meet this requirement. See the site for more details.)
• Most health plans must cover a set of preventive services like shots and screening tests at no cost to you.
• If you run an income-generating business with no employees, then you're considered self-employed (not an employer) and can get coverage through the Marketplace.
• Some fraudsters may try to convince you to pay for help signing up.  The Marketplace has trained assisters in every state to help you at no cost. You should never be asked to pay for services or help. Double check any information that is confusing or sounds fishy. Call the Health Insurance Marketplace at 1-800-318-2596 if something doesn't sound right.

By learning more now, you can be ready when October 1 comes around!