Medicare and Health Insurance Deadlines Are Fast Approaching
The deadlines to change your Medicare Part D plan or enroll in individual health insurance are just around the corner.
Just a friendly reminder:
- December 7th is the deadline for changing your Medicare Part D plan.
- December 15th is the deadline for enrolling in the individual health insurance Marketplace or Federal exchange.
CMS Extends Exchange Special Enrollment Due to COVID-19
The Special Enrollment Period will Now be Available through Aug. 15, 2021, via HealthCare.gov
On March 23, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it is extending access to a special enrollment period (SEP) through Exchanges on the federal www.HealthCare.gov platform due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Originally available through May 15, 2021, the extended SEP provides three additional months for enrollment, allowing eligible individuals to enroll in Exchange coverage through Aug. 15, 2021.
Now through Aug. 15, 2021, this SEP is available through Exchanges using the www.HealthCare.gov platform to all Exchange-eligible consumers who are submitting a new application or updating an existing application. States using their own Exchange platforms are strongly encouraged to make a similar SEP available in their states. Consumers seeking to take advantage of this SEP can find out if they are eligible by visiting www.HealthCare.gov. Consumers will have 30 days after they submit their application to choose a plan.
As a result of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), additional premium cost savings is available through www.HealthCare.gov starting April 1, 2021, that may lower premium costs or allow individuals to enroll in a higher-level plan at the same cost. Also, beginning in early July, consumers who are eligible for unemployment compensation for any week during 2021 may be eligible for additional cost savings through the Exchange.