But Can I actually BUY Private Health Insurance Today?
Here’s a question more common right now than most people realize, “Can I buy private health insurance right now… today?” The answer is, “It depends on your circumstances.” The good news is, the odds are well in your favor.
First of all, if you’re looking to buy private health insurance today without any concerns regarding Medicare or utilizing the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the short answer is “Yes.” We’ll explore those options and what to look for, as well as what to look out for a bit later.
But, if you’re currently on Medicare or if you are utilizing the ACA, then the first answer to your question regarding buying private insurance right now is “Yes, provided the annual enrollment period doesn’t affect you.” You see, the annual enrollment period, which runs from early November to mid-December each year, is obviously over with right now. However, even outside of the enrollment period, all is not lost. You may still be able to purchase private health insurance under certain provisions – and there are a number of them that may very well fit your situation.
For example, if, in the last 60 days, you got married or got a divorce, had a baby, lost your job and, with it, your health insurance coverage, began or ended your college education as a student and lost access to your student health insurance plan or aged out of the coverage provided by your parent’s health insurance plan, lost your Medicare or Medicaid coverage, moved to a new zip code or to a new county that is out of your carrier’s network, moved from a shelter to an apartment or moved to the United States then you are eligible to buy private health insurance no matter what time of the year we’re in, even if you are using the ACA or you are currently on Medicare.
What’s more, if you recently applied for coverage under the Affordable Care Act, and your income was too high, which made the premium too expensive to afford, but your income has since dropped, conversely making the premium for the coverage more affordable, you can buy the health insurance plan you need today.
However, it is very important that you keep in mind these two things; if you don’t pay your premiums or if you choose to drop the insurance, you are not qualified for the “outside of the special enrollment period” option. Likewise, if you didn’t try to obtain health insurance during the open enrollment season, but you’ve since been diagnosed with a medical condition, you are not eligible for the special enrollment option.
If you discover that you may not be eligible to get a major medical plan outside of the open enrollment period, you can likely still get products from what are called the Federal Marketplaces by going to what is known as the Healthcare Solutions Team. The Team may be able to guide you to other options for health insurance throughout the entire year.
On the other side of this same issue, if you’re not affected by Medicare, Medicaid or the ACA, and you still want to buy private health insurance for yourself or your family, then, by all means, do so. In fact, here are some suggestions to consider in your quest for private health insurance.
First, try going on the Internet to do your research and, ultimately, your purchase. The Internet provides a number of advantages over traditional insurance shopping methods. For one thing, rather than scheduling an array of appointments with a host of agents coming to your home over the course of several days or weeks, you can visit countless insurance companies online in a very short period of time. This also makes it easier to review all of the different company plans, options, and prices “side by side” in an “apples to apples” comparison because almost every reputable health insurance company has a web presence these days. In addition, whatever questions or concerns you may have about your particular health insurance policy or how it can help you or members of your family can be answered via email or, if you prefer, over the phone using a phone number listed on their website that has a knowledgeable agent available, often 24/7.
You can also check out the companies you wish to talk with before you actually talk with them by going, again, online to the insurance rating website known as A.M. Best Company. The A.M. Best Company will give you a clear understanding of your potential health insurance company’s financial health and reliability. In addition, you can check out your potential health insurance policy provider with the National Committee for Quality Assurance that rates the quality of the health insurance plans you might be considering. And, of course, you can also check with the Better Business Bureau about the company or companies with whom you’re considering doing business.
Once you’ve selected a company or companies to consider, make sure you take a look at their privacy policies before you submit any personal information, especially over the Internet. Be certain that their websites utilize the latest security software that will maintain the security and integrity of your personal information. And remember, it’s usually not necessary to give out any of your personal details if you are just trying to obtain a quote.
In all likelihood, considering the variety of products and services available across the board, as well as the technology to get your policy in place immediately, there are very few reasons to keep you from buying the private health insurance you are in need of right now… today!
But Can I actually BUY Private Health Insurance Today?
Here’s a question more common right now than most people realize, “Can I buy private health insurance right now… today?” The answer is, “It depends on your circumstances.” The good news is, the odds are well in your favor.
First of all, if you’re looking to buy private health insurance today without any concerns regarding Medicare or utilizing the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the short answer is “Yes.” We’ll explore those options and what to look for, as well as what to look out for a bit later.
But, if you’re currently on Medicare or if you are utilizing the ACA, then the first answer to your question regarding buying private insurance right now is “Yes, provided the annual enrollment period doesn’t affect you.” You see, the annual enrollment period, which runs from early November to mid-December each year, is obviously over with right now. However, even outside of the enrollment period, all is not lost. You may still be able to purchase private health insurance under certain provisions – and there are a number of them that may very well fit your situation.
For example, if, in the last 60 days, you got married or got a divorce, had a baby, lost your job and, with it, your health insurance coverage, began or ended your college education as a student and lost access to your student health insurance plan or aged out of the coverage provided by your parent’s health insurance plan, lost your Medicare or Medicaid coverage, moved to a new zip code or to a new county that is out of your carrier’s network, moved from a shelter to an apartment or moved to the United States then you are eligible to buy private health insurance no matter what time of the year we’re in, even if you are using the ACA or you are currently on Medicare.
What’s more, if you recently applied for coverage under the Affordable Care Act, and your income was too high, which made the premium too expensive to afford, but your income has since dropped, conversely making the premium for the coverage more affordable, you can buy the health insurance plan you need today.
However, it is very important that you keep in mind these two things; if you don’t pay your premiums or if you choose to drop the insurance, you are not qualified for the “outside of the special enrollment period” option. Likewise, if you didn’t try to obtain health insurance during the open enrollment season, but you’ve since been diagnosed with a medical condition, you are not eligible for the special enrollment option.
If you discover that you may not be eligible to get a major medical plan outside of the open enrollment period, you can likely still get products from what are called the Federal Marketplaces by going to what is known as the Healthcare Solutions Team. The Team may be able to guide you to other options for health insurance throughout the entire year.
On the other side of this same issue, if you’re not affected by Medicare, Medicaid or the ACA, and you still want to buy private health insurance for yourself or your family, then, by all means, do so. In fact, here are some suggestions to consider in your quest for private health insurance.
First, try going on the Internet to do your research and, ultimately, your purchase. The Internet provides a number of advantages over traditional insurance shopping methods. For one thing, rather than scheduling an array of appointments with a host of agents coming to your home over the course of several days or weeks, you can visit countless insurance companies online in a very short period of time. This also makes it easier to review all of the different company plans, options, and prices “side by side” in an “apples to apples” comparison because almost every reputable health insurance company has a web presence these days. In addition, whatever questions or concerns you may have about your particular health insurance policy or how it can help you or members of your family can be answered via email or, if you prefer, over the phone using a phone number listed on their website that has a knowledgeable agent available, often 24/7.
You can also check out the companies you wish to talk with before you actually talk with them by going, again, online to the insurance rating website known as A.M. Best Company. The A.M. Best Company will give you a clear understanding of your potential health insurance company’s financial health and reliability. In addition, you can check out your potential health insurance policy provider with the National Committee for Quality Assurance that rates the quality of the health insurance plans you might be considering. And, of course, you can also check with the Better Business Bureau about the company or companies with whom you’re considering doing business.
Once you’ve selected a company or companies to consider, make sure you take a look at their privacy policies before you submit any personal information, especially over the Internet. Be certain that their websites utilize the latest security software that will maintain the security and integrity of your personal information. And remember, it’s usually not necessary to give out any of your personal details if you are just trying to obtain a quote.
In all likelihood, considering the variety of products and services available across the board, as well as the technology to get your policy in place immediately, there are very few reasons to keep you from buying the private health insurance you are in need of right now… today!
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