BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) — Between now and January 15th enrollment is open for the Healthcare Marketplace.
“It allows anybody to get enrolled in new insurance, after January 15th you have to qualify for a special enrollment period to actually change your insurance plan so it does need to be done during that time frame,” Big Bend Health Promotions Specialist Sara Hobbs said.
A nonprofit, the Big Bend Area Health Education Center, is providing navigator services to help people find the right insurance policy.
“We’re just trying to provide better healthcare for those really in need, especially this year with a lot of the changes that happen with Medicaid a lot of people lost Medicaid after some of the plans changed after COVID so this will allow people to have something a little more affordable and be able to get the healthcare services they truly need,” Hobbs said.
Insurance agents said taking advantage of the open enrollment window can save you lots of money.
“You want to use an agent and they’ll assist you in finding the best price possible, some people can qualify for a subsidy based off their income, others might not but either way, you want to look around and see if you can find a good plan,” health insurance agent Matt Sowell said. “With the cost of going to a hospital or a doctor today, if you’re not covered correctly you can stack up medical bills that are just unattainable to meet.”
To start your plan at the beginning of 2024 you must be enrolled by December 15. Click here to learn more about open enrollment.
