They can do it before open enrollment starts on Nov. 1st.
Baltimore, Md. (KM) It’s a chance to look them over before signing up. The Maryland Health Connection is offering an opportunity for citizens to compare plans by going to its website, www.MarylandHealthConnection.gov.
“We have a new mobile app so you can go to an app store and download EnrollMHC, and select 2017 plans. Just put in your information, income, where you live and you’ll get plans specific to your needs,” says Betsy Charlow, deputy director of marketing and web strategies for the Maryland Health Connection.
She also says you still use desktop computers to visit the Maryland Health Connection Website.
Open enrollment begins on November 1st, 2016, and ends on January 31st, 2017. Charlow says this gives consumers plenty of time to look over plans and decide which one is best for them.
Even though you may be satisfied with your current health insurance, Charlow says it’s always a good idea to look over other plans. “Plan prices go up and down every year as do the needs of you and your family,” she says. “So you may need a particular medication one year, have a specific health condition; or you may be covering yourself for the unforeseen.”
Charlow says the Maryland Health Connection website is also the place to learn about financial help in paying for health insurance. “NIne out of ten people who enroll through Maryland Health Connection last year got financial help of some sort,” she says.
Because health insurance can be confusing, there is consumer assistance. “We have more than 1,000 trained experts throughout the state who have been through training with Maryland Health Connection. So they know the plans in and out. We have authorized brokers–insurance agents–who can help you for free,” says Charlow.
There are four insurance companies offering plans through the Maryland Health Connection: Carefirst, Cigna, Evergreen Health and Kaiser Permanente.
The Maryland Health Connection is a state-based insurance marketplace for individuals, families and small businesses. They can compare and enroll in health insurance plans. It also determines their eligibility for Medicaid and other assistance programs, along with federal tax credits and cost-sharing reductions.
The Connection is administered by the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, which was established under the authority of the Patient Protection and Affordable Health care Act of 2010.
By Kevin McManus