Renew, Change, or Update Your Health Plan for 2017
If you had Marketplace health insurance in 2016, you can renew, change, or update your plan for 2017 during the Open Enrollment Period, November 1, 2016 to January 31, 2017.
Important: Whether you plan to renew or change plans, you must update income and household information on your 2017 application to get the right amount of financial assistance.
You can log into your online account to take action starting November 1, 2016. You must renew or change plans by December 15, 2016 for your new coverage to start January 1, 2017.
Your 2017 insurance status
If you had a 2016 Marketplace plan, you’ll get (or may already have received) two 2017 re-enrollment letters: one from your insurance company and one from the Health Insurance Marketplace. These letters may come by email or postal mail. You should receive them by November 1.
Your Health Insurance Marketplace letter includes:
- Instructions to get a premium tax credit for 2017. You may have to send documents, like tax or
income information.
- How to update your application to make sure you get the right savings for the year.
Your insurance company letter includes:
- Whether your 2016 plan is available in 2017.
- If not, whether the company is offering you a similar or alternate plan.
- Any changes to the plan for 2017.
- Your 2017 premium, after any premium tax credit has been applied. The tax credit may be based on dated information from your 2016 application or other sources.
- Whether you’ll be automatically enrolled if you don’t take action by December 15.
Important: Update & Compare Plans for 2017
No matter what plan you want to enroll in, we strongly recommend that you update your Marketplace application with your expected income and household information and compare your current plan to what’s available for 2017. You can do this as early as November 1, 2016.
- New, affordable plans may be available this year. Plans and prices change every year. Your situation may have changed too. You may find 2017 plans with coverage and features that better meet your needs — especially if you’ve had or expect income or household changes.
- Update your application so your 2017 financial subsidy is correct. Financial subsidy is based on your expected income for 2017 (not last year’s income). If you don’t update your income and household information, your premium tax credit and other savings could be wrong for 2017. If this happens:
- You could wind up paying higher monthly premiums than you have to.
- You might use more advance payments of the premium tax credit than you qualify for. You would then have to pay back the difference when you file your federal taxes.
- You may be automatically enrolled for 2017 — but we strongly recommend you update your application and check out new insurance plans first. If you don’t renew or enroll in a plan by December 15, 2016, you may be automatically enrolled in the same or a similar plan. This way you’ll be covered January 1, 2017. But the best way to make sure you have a 2017 plan that meets your needs, and obtain the financial help that you qualify for, is to log in as early as November 1, 2016, update your information, and see all plans available to you for 2017. You should do this even if you want to keep the same plan.
- In some cases, you won’t be automatically enrolled. Just enroll in any available plan by December 15, 2016 to make sure you’re covered on January 1, 2017.
Source: https://www.healthcare.gov/keep-or-change-plan/