Oct. 1 of this year was the beginning of the sign-up period for the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.
New Jersey residents can use several informative websites — www.healthcare.gov, www.plannedparenthood.org or healthlawanswers. aarp.org — to learn more and enroll. These sites will have information on federal assistance that will help pay for premiums. They also contain information on the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), options for small businesses, Medicaid, and plans in the Health Insurance Marketplace (insurance policy options).
The Affordable Care Act brings many positive changes to all health insurance policies, even private ones. Young adults can now stay on their parents’ insurance policies until they are 26 years old. People can no longer be denied coverage because of preexisting conditions. All insurance plans must cover doctor visits, hospitalizations, birth control, maternity care, prescriptions and emergency room visits. Women will not be charged more because of their gender.
Enrollment time for the Affordable Care Act, the nation’s new health insurance, is now open through Dec. 15 for coverage that will begin Jan. 1. Nancy Ostrander Fair Haven