30 Second Insurance Tips©

Tip 204- Feeling A Little Compressed

Open Enrollment Periods allow individual consumers an annual opportunity to buy or make changes to their health insurance (effective January 1st).

The Affordable Care Act’s initial (2014) Open Enrollment Period (OEP) lasted six months.

The 2015 OEP started November 15th, 2014 and ends next Saturday, February 15th. That’s 92 days.

For 2016, CMS has floated a “proposed rule” calling for the OEP to begin October 1, and end December 15th, 2015. That’s just 76 days.

For Medicare eligible individuals, the OEP is 52 days; October 15th through December 7th.

When so many people – literally millions – enroll for coverage at the same time, customer service can’t help but suffer. I’m sorry to say, a good number of our clients, with new coverage effective January 1, are still waiting for ID cards and premium statements.

So here’s an idea I’d run by HHS Secretary Burwell if I had the chance; sync an individual’s OEP with the month of (and, before/after) their birthday. Ninety days seems about right.

Otherwise, I may have to change the name of my business to H & R Rauser!

P.S. I could use your help on this one. Please forward this Tip to friends and colleagues. Maybe it will actually find its way to Secretary Burwell’s desk! Thank you.

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