Late Tuesday night on March 25th, the Obama administration decided to allow more time for people to enroll in health care coverage. People who still want to enroll in coverage will have about two weeks (or until mid-April) to purchase insurance under the exchange.
The administration argues that this extended time period to enroll will enable the officials to accommodate the last minute surge of people attempting to get coverage. People will be able to ask for an extension (though there is no definitive criteria for who will be able to get an extension). Officials agree that this extra time is helpful for those who have had technical issues with the website, especially in the last week as so many people are are trying to register.
In mid-April, people will no longer be permitted to get extensions through the Healthcare.gov site. However, there will be special enrollment periods for people who:
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are having a baby
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are getting a divorce
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have lost a job
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had technical issues signing up through Healthcare.gov
However, many Republicans are upset with this decision because it means another delay for the program.
The penalties for people who have not enrolled are still coming (though they may be delayed too…). Here is a list of 8 things you should know about Obamacare prior to the definitive deadline (date to be determined).
For information about this extended deadline and how it affects you, please feel free to give us a call!
