January 28,2021
What Happens If I Miss the 2021 Open Enrollment?
Open enrollment for health insurance only lasts from November 1st through December 15th. That gives you 45 days to find a health insurance provider and the right plan for you, your family, or your employees. You also have an opportunity to adjust your plan to reflect your current needs. However, 45 days may not be enough time if you are struggling financially or going through a significant life change in the middle of open enrollment. If so, you may still be eligible for a special enrollment period if open enrollment ends.
Keep in mind that not all life changes qualify for a special enrollment period (SEP). Events such as getting married or divorced, having or adopting children, or losing eligibility for other health coverage can trigger special enrollment rights. But that does not guarantee that you will get insurance. What happens, then, if you miss open enrollment and do not qualify for a SEP? The good news is that you can still get insurance coverage outside of the Marketplace through private insurance plans.
Options Available Through Leading Insurance Providers
If you look outside of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace, you can get comprehensive coverage from leading insurance providers in your state.
These insurance providers offer private plans for health coverage once open enrollment has passed.
- These plans meet all healthcare law requirements, including covering pre-existing conditions, providing free preventive care, and not capping annual benefits.
- The Marketplace doesn’t list or offer these plans. The only way you can enroll in a health plan through the Marketplace outside open enrollment is to qualify for a special enrollment plan.
- You can find these plans through insurance companies, agents, brokers, and online health insurance sellers. If you buy a plan outside the Marketplace any time, during Open Enrollment or not, you can’t get premium tax credits or other savings based on your income.
- Insurance companies can tell you if a particular plan counts as minimum essential coverage. Each plan’s summary of benefits and coverage also includes this information.
Some of the insurance providers that offer insurance plans throughout the year include
How Do I Buy Private Health Plans Outside the Marketplace?
Insurance Agent or Broker
Agents generally work for a single health insurance company to get individual, family, or group health insurance. Brokers generally sell plans from several companies. They can help you compare plans based on features and price and complete your enrollment. You don’t pay more by using an agent or broker. They’re generally paid by the insurance company whose plans they sell.
Directly from the Insurer
You can contact any health insurance company and see plans available in your area. Many have websites that let you compare all plans available from that company.
Online Health Insurance Company
Online services offer health plans from various insurance companies. They let you compare prices and features and then enroll with the insurance company.
Which Health Insurance Plan is Best for Me?
You may be wondering which health insurance company is the best? When choosing a plan, you first need to assess your personal healthcare needs, look at all your options, and choose a health insurance plan that fits your budget. How do you determine which health insurance is best? Ask yourself these questions:
- How often do you visit your doctor?
- What type of treatment do you need in the next 12 months?
- What prescription drugs do you currently take?
- Which healthcare providers/physicians do you prefer?
Once you decide your healthcare needs, you can narrow your search to health insurance companies in your state.
Welcome to the MultiPlan PHCS Network
What are the benefits of PHCS coverage? You get to choose any doctor within the PPO network. This gives you an additional opportunity to save your healthcare dollars. MultiPlan’s PHCS Limited Benefit Network gives you discounted access to qualified doctors, healthcare facilities, labs, imaging centers, and hospitals at no additional charge.
Multiplan is one of the oldest and largest healthcare networks in the U.S. Currently, MultiPlan contracts with over 770,000 respected practitioners, 5,000 hospitals, and 70,000 ancillary care facilities, making it easier than ever to find a participating healthcare provider in your area. You save an average of 20-30% off inpatient and outpatient hospital charges when you use the MultiPlan Network.
A Health Insurance Solution That Makes Sense
- We leverage what you pay for medical services. You end up paying much less than what insurance companies pay out.
- We negotiate procedures and services from healthcare providers and treatment facilities within Multi-Plan on your behalf. So, if you are self-paying, you save up to 80 percent when you use a provider that is in the network.
- PHCS Multi-Plan is the largest healthcare PPO network in the country.
- You choose any doctor in the network.
- Our plans pay out benefits based on all benefits schedules regardless of whether the benefit exceeds your discounted price. You simply pay the remaining balance.
- Use Healthcare Bluebook, a simple online tool, to help you find the best care and price for your procedure in your local area.
Contact Insurance Enterprise for Premier Health Insurance
If you have questions about group or individual health insurance and need health insurance quotes, contact Insurance Enterprise at 888-350-6605. Speak to a licensed agent and find out more about how you can get an affordable health insurance plan.