Under the Affordable Care Act, every legal resident of the United States of America will be able to shop for health insurance in their State’s online Health Insurance Marketplace (sometimes known as a exchange). The “ObamaCare Exchanges” are online marketplaces where Americans can shop for regulated health insurance and low-to-middle income Americans can get cost assistance.
Open enrollment is the only time you can get covered and apply for cost assistance without qualifying for a special enrollment period.
Using the marketplace any American can research every available policy and choose the right one for them and their family. The cost of your health insurance through the marketplace depends on your income, so only those making less than 400% of the Federal poverty level will be able to use cost assistance to obtain free or low cost health insurance. If you have access to affordable employer based coverage you won’t be able to get cost assistance. If you are eligible for Medicare, you can’t buy a private insurance policy and won’t use the marketplace to get coverage.
Open enrollment is the only time you can get covered and apply for cost assistance without qualifying for a special enrollment period.
Using the marketplace any American can research every available policy and choose the right one for them and their family. The cost of your health insurance through the marketplace depends on your income, so only those making less than 400% of the Federal poverty level will be able to use cost assistance to obtain free or low cost health insurance. If you have access to affordable employer based coverage you won’t be able to get cost assistance. If you are eligible for Medicare, you can’t buy a private insurance policy and won’t use the marketplace to get coverage.