How do you buy health insurance if you miss open enrollment? n/t

[Yavin4]

[PoliticAverse]

1. Need more info...

What state ?
When did you last have insurance ?

[Yavin4]

2. NY.

I have health insurance now, but I am planning to leave my job next May.

[PoliticAverse]

6. You may be eligible to continue your coverage under COBRA...

(See: https://www.dfs.ny.gov/consumers/health_insurance/cobra_and_premium_assistance ).

If your income will be below the cutoff level for Medicaid, you may be eligible which you can apply for at any time.

[drray23]

7. That will count as a qualifying event.

Meaning you will be able to buy insurance after you leave that job even if its outside open enrollment.

[still_one]

11. +++

[PoliticAverse]

14. Yes, that will trigger a 60-day window to apply...

https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage-outside-open-enrollment/special-enrollment-period/

Loss of health insurance

You may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period if you or anyone in your household lost qualifying health coverage in the past 60 days OR expects to lose coverage in the next 60 days.

Coverage losses that may qualify you for a Special Enrollment Period:

Losing job-based coverage

You may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period if you lose health coverage through your employer or the employer of a family member, including if you lose health coverage through a parent or guardian because you're no longer a dependent.

[sheshe2]

3. You can buy at anytime.

Open enrollment is if you want to change your policy or carrier.

[Yavin4]

8. Are you sure?

I don't think so. You can only buy it during open enrollment.

[sheshe2]

12. see post #10.

[PoliticAverse]

9. No. Open enrollment periods exist to prevent people from waiting until they get sick to buy health

insurance. You can only buy it during "open enrollment" unless you have a "qualifying event".

[sheshe2]

10. Well I moved from ACA,

was unemployed unexpectedly at 64 and could not afford Cobra which would have been more than 650 per month. ACA was 75. I turned 65 in October of the following year, no problems.

As a Medicare newbie, you get an enrollment period of your very own, as explained in the section headed "When you should sign up for Medicare — at the right time for you. Similarly, you shouldn't wait until you reach your full retirement age (currently 66) before enrolling in Medicare — unless you continue to have health coverage after age 65 from your own or your spouse's current employment.

If you're just becoming eligible for Medicare, the open enrollment period at the end of the year (Oct. 15 to Dec. 7) is not for you. That time frame specifically allows people who are already in Medicare the option to change their coverage for the following year if they want to. As a Medicare newbie, you get an enrollment period of your very own.

https://www.aarp.org/health/medicare-insurance/info-2014/medicare-enrollment-facts.html

[still_one]

13. +++

[sheshe2]

15. Not true.

As a Medicare newbie, you get an enrollment period of your very own, as explained in the section headed "When you should sign up for Medicare — at the right time for you. Similarly, you shouldn't wait until you reach your full retirement age (currently 66) before enrolling in Medicare — unless you continue to have health coverage after age 65 from your own or your spouse's current employment.


If you're just becoming eligible for Medicare, the open enrollment period at the end of the year (Oct. 15 to Dec. 7) is not for you. That time frame specifically allows people who are already in Medicare the option to change their coverage for the following year if they want to. As a Medicare newbie, you get an enrollment period of your very own.

https://www.aarp.org/health/medicare-insurance/info-2014/medicare-enrollment-facts.html

[still_one]

16. In regard to Medicare, if you coming into Mediccare for the first time, if you you don't sign up

for Medicare during your initial enrollment window, which is when you turn 65 you'll face a 10% increase in your Part B premiums for every year-long period you're eligible for coverage but don't enroll. That penalty won't go away. Therefore, it generally pays to sign up for Medicare at 65. There is a 3 month window when you turn 65 before and after your birthday where you turn 65 where you won't be subject to that penalty, plus there are a couple of exceptions where you can delay it if, but it general, you miss that three month window after you turn 65 you will be paying an increased premium.

I need to re-read the OP, but I thought the OP is referring to the ACA, which is not based on when you turn 65 as Medicare, but different qualifying events, which based on what the OP has said I believe he has qualified for.

In other words that "enrollment period of your very own", for someone first coming into Medicare could be very costly premium wise if they don't sign-up for Medicare within 3 months after they turn 65.

When you turn 65 is the magic number, unless you meet one of the exceptions, or less then 65 if you have certain medical conditions.

That is the way I understand it.

The rules are very complicated for Medicare, and those who miss the initial Medicare sign-up can cost them.

Others have mentioned since that person is leaving his or her job that is a qualifying event for the ACA. They can also do COBRA in that case, which is extremely expensive

Thanks sheshe. The information you provided is correct, but I believe leaves out the penalties and other issues if you don't sign-up for Medicare when you turn 65/

[sheshe2]

17. Cobra would have cost me 650.

I was let go from my job at 63 almost 64 years old. ACA was 75 per month.

Through Mass Health I had no problems signing up for ACA as an interim for Medicare.

[still_one]

18. COBRA is outrageously expensive, and nothing has been done to

improve its cost

My situation was very similar to yours sheshe, except as part of the severance package I received they subsidized the COBRA for me which bridged the gap for me for Medicare

I was lucky in that regard, I admit it, a lot of folks aren’t

Too many inequities. Something has to be done

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. Some kinds of private health insurance is available

outside the open enrollment period, but you'd have to find out what's available in your state. Or you could get COBRA to cover you until the open enrollment window opens up again.

[yonder]

5. I believe you have a 3 or 4 month window on either side of your separation date.

Could be wrong though.