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Obamacare deadline 101: Do I have to enroll or not?

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The Obamacare deadline to enroll in a health insurance plan is Monday, but many people are confused about whether they need to do anything or whether they can get an extension. Reported by Christian Science Monitor 4 hours ago.

More than 2,300 Alaskans sign up for insurance

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Heavy Web traffic and software glitches prevented some Alaskans from obtaining health insurance from the online federal marketplace Monday, the last day to sign up for coverage under President Barack Obama's health care law. Reported by Miami Herald 4 hours ago.

Fox News Airs Seriously Misleading Obamacare Graphic

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Fox News Airs Seriously Misleading Obamacare Graphic During a Monday morning segment about the March 31st deadline to enroll in the Affordable Care Act's health insurance marketplace, Fox News' America's Newsroom showed a bar graph on screen can only be described as seriously misleading when it comes to the overall success of the Obamacare program. Reported by Mediaite 4 hours ago.

New Mexicans face insurance enrollment deadline

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New Mexico was expected to fall short of its goal of enrolling 40,000 to 50,000 people in health insurance plans in the initial phase of President Barack Obama's health care law, a top official with the state's insurance exchange said Monday. Reported by Miami Herald 4 hours ago.

NY Grants Consumers Landmark Protection From Surprise Medical Bills

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NY Grants Consumers Landmark Protection From Surprise Medical Bills The post NY Grants Consumers Landmark Protection From Surprise Medical Bills by Catherine Yang, Epoch Times appeared first on The Epoch Times.

NEW YORK—Thousands of New Yorkers every year receive costly, surprise bills for medical care—from doctors not covered by their health insurance plans. The cost can be so burdensome so as to bankrupt some New Yorkers. 

New landmark legislation proposed by …

The post NY Grants Consumers Landmark Protection From Surprise Medical Bills by Catherine Yang, Epoch Times appeared first on The Epoch Times. Reported by Epoch Times 4 hours ago.

Wyo. Sen. Barrasso: White House Knows True Obamacare Numbers

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Wyoming Republican Sen. John Barrasso says the White House knows the real numbers of signups for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, but won't release them. Reported by Newsmax 3 hours ago.

Pasadena Insurance Agency, Inc. Named a Top US Personal Insurance Provider Again

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The Chubb Group of Insurance Companies has again named Pasadena Insurance Agency a 2014 Cornerstone agency for excellent customer service and stellar performance. In line with its excellent client care and heading into the spring and summer home buying seasons, Pasadena Insurance reminds owners of high value homes and those on the market to consider high value home insurance.

Houston, TX (PRWEB) March 31, 2014

The Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, a premier provider of personal insurance for owners of custom and historic homes, luxury automobiles and other valuables has named Pasadena Insurance Agency a 2014 Cornerstone agency for excellent customer service and stellar performance. Of the approximately 3,200 personal lines agencies in the US that work with Chubb, less than seven percent achieve the designation.

In line with its excellent client care and heading into the spring and summer home buying seasons, Pasadena Insurance urges owners of high value homes and those on the market for a new home this year to consider high value home insurance.

Frank Karkowsky, president of Pasadena Insurance offers a caveat to consumers that typical homeowner insurance policies will not replace high value homes in the case of fire or natural disaster if the home’s market value is higher than what the policy will cover. High value home insurance closes the gap between regular home insurance replacement cost and a home's actual value, allowing homeowners to rebuild in the case of loss.

“The more your house is worth, the greater the difference will be between what your current policy may pay and what your home will cost to replace. If your home is worth upward of $750,000 you should talk to us today about a high value home insurance policy,” Karkowsky said. “When quoting your home insurance premium, we use a full replacement cost valuation to be sure that you can replace your home in the event of a total loss. You’d be surprised how affordable it is to cover your whole house.”

For more insurance tips or to speak with a Pasadena Insurance Agency agent about insurance needs, visit http://www.pasins.com. Also, join our Facebook community and connect with us on Twitter @PasadenaInsAgcy.

About Pasadena Insurance Agency:

Pasadena Insurance Agency, Inc (PIAI) is a Trusted Choice® independent insurance and risk management firm. They are a third-generation, family-owned, boutique independent insurance agency offering property & casualty insurance, life & health insurance, and consultative risk management services to individuals and small-to medium-sized businesses.

Having been in business for almost 78 years, they have access to the majority of the insurance marketplace either through direct appointments or intermediaries resulting in the appropriate alignment of insurance carrier to clients. PIAI offers a friendly, community-based agency with personalized customer service, while also providing the capabilities of a large corporate agency with established industry relationships and decades of experience. For more information, please visit http://www.pasins.com. Reported by PRWeb 3 hours ago.

Hawaii Health Connector experiencing last-minute surge of applicants for March 31 deadline

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The Hawaii Health Connector’s customer support center will stay open until midnight on Monday, when the 2014 open enrollment period ends, to accommodate the last minute surge of individuals applying for coverage through the state-run online health insurance exchange by the March 31 deadline. And despite the enrollment deadline, individuals who at least start or try to start an application on Monday  can finish the process at a later date. On Saturday, the Hawaii Health Connector said it started… Reported by bizjournals 3 hours ago.

Health care website stumbles on last day

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After the site went down overnight, the Obama administration says a new technical problem is preventing last-minute users from signing up on the government's health insurance website. Reported by WTHR 3 hours ago.

Healthcare.gov stumbles on deadline day as consumers scramble to get insurance

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The first six-month window for Americans to gain health insurance under the Affordable Care Act closed on Monday with large numbers of consumers speeding to get coverage at the last minute. Some of them encountered obstacles as healthcare.gov, the main enrollment website, stumbled on and off throughout the day. Reported by TwinCities.com 2 hours ago.

Obamacare deadline 101: Do I have to enroll or not? (+video)

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The Obamacare deadline to enroll in a health insurance plan is Monday, but many people are confused about whether they need to do anything or whether they can get an extension. Reported by Christian Science Monitor 2 hours ago.

Obamacare Deadline Safety Valve Comes In Handy As Website Buckles

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The latest tweak to the Obamacare deadline came in handy Monday when HealthCare.gov buckled during the rush by millions to sign up for health insurance by the original midnight cutoff.

Americans seeking to obtain health coverage at the last minute, and avoid tax penalties for remaining uninsured, flooded exchange websites and telephone lines Monday, with a record 3 million visits to Healthcare.gov and 1 million phone calls as of 8 p.m., according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

Federal officials said last week that people who couldn't enroll because of problems with HealthCare.gov would have more time to sign up. Some state-run health insurance exchanges offered similar flexibility for people who started applications prior to the March 31 deadline.

"There will be an opportunity for those who have initiated the process but aren’t able to finish it by midnight tonight to ensure that they get signed up for health insurance," White House press secretary Jay Carney said Monday. "If they start, they’ll be able to finish."

The intense interest in getting covered before the midnight deadline exposed the vulnerability of HealthCare.gov and exchange websites like Covered California and Maryland Health Connection throughout the day. HealthCare.gov went down early Monday, its account-creation system failed during the afternoon and a "virtual waiting room" deployed several times when users stretched the website's capacity.

Although the President Barack Obama's administration and authorities in states such as California and Connecticut didn't technically extend the deadline for the end of the six-month sign-up period for private insurance via the exchanges, would-be enrollees snarled by technical problems can continue to enroll over the coming weeks, the administration said Wednesday.

Glitches on Monday were a far cry from the disaster that occured from when HealthCare.gov launched Oct. 1 through late November, and multiple readers told The Huffington Post that they'd successfully signed up. Others, however, were left without the coverage they sought.

Kelly O'Donnell, 35, of Greensboro, N.C., has been struggling to get an application filed for nearly a week and had no more luck Monday than before. When O'Donnell visited HealthCare.gov Monday, she was greeted by the virtual waiting room and opted to enter her email address to get notified when the website was ready to take on more users. But when the message arrived, the website still didn't work.

"I have used three different browsers and every time I am able to login but it takes me to a blank page," O'Donnell wrote in an email to HuffPost. Initially, O'Donnell worried she'd be subject to tax penalties for violating the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate that most Americans obtain health coverage, but now will give it another shot after the deadline.

"We're trying to start a family this year, so I definitely need health insurance," O'Donnell said by telephone.

The Obama administration hasn't said when the "special enrollment period" will end for people in the 36 states using the federal health insurance exchanges. State-run exchange policies vary and the extra time will extend as late as April 30 in Oregon. Health insurance exchanges like New York State of Health, Vermont Health Connect, Maryland Health Connection, AccessHealth CT in Connecticut, and Covered California took to social media to promote the extra time for those who couldn't complete their applications by midnight.

In spite of the problems, others reported the website and enrollment process functioned smoothly.

Oklahoma City resident Louis Dollarhide, 62, spent 45 minutes on HealthCare.gov Monday morning and encountered no difficulties, he told HuffPost in a telephone interview. "It just clicks right through. I thought it was very straightforward, and I'm not a tech geek at all," he said.

Dollarhide has been uninsured since his previous employer closed four years ago. Now self-employed, he has been unable to afford new coverage because he has a condition called hereditary hemochromatosis that causes high levels of iron in the blood. "It's very easy to manage but it freaks these insurance companies out."

"I had a pre-existing condition, and so when I would get quotes for insurance, it was just astronomical. And I've always been in good health, even though I have this strange deal. It never causes any problems," Dollarhide said. An insurer once quoted him a $800 monthly premium, which was more than he could pay, he said. Health insurance companies can neither turn down people with pre-existing conditions nor charge them higher rates than healthy people under the Affordable Care Act.

Using HealthCare.gov, Dollarhide signed up for a "silver" plan, the second-lowest level of coverage available on the exchanges, for $289 a month, including tax credits that reduced his costs. Asked why he waited until the last day of the enrollment period to shop, Dollarhide replied: "Laziness and procrastination." Reported by Huffington Post 2 hours ago.

Obamacare Set To Reach 7 Million Sign-Ups On Deadline Day: Sources

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Government officials tell The Associated Press that President Barack Obama's health care law is on track to hit 7 million sign-ups as a result of a deadline-day surge.

Two officials spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because they were not authorized to discuss the matter ahead of an official announcement.

Seven million sign-ups was the original target set by the Congressional Budget Office for subsidized private health insurance offered through new online markets.

That was scaled back to 6 million after the disastrous launch of HealthCare.gov last fall.

The 7 million-mark would beat expectations.

It was in sight on a day when the administration saw surging consumer interest in the nation's newest social program, but struggled with repeated website glitches. Reported by Huffington Post 53 minutes ago.

Obamacare On Track To Hit 7 Million Sign-Ups On Deadline Day: Sources

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Beating expectations, President Barack Obama's health care overhaul was on track to sign up more than 7 million Americans for health insurance on deadline day Monday, government officials told The Associated Press.

The 7 million target, thought to be out of reach by most experts, was in sight on a day that saw surging consumer interest as well as vexing computer glitches that slowed sign-ups on the HealthCare.gov website.

Two government officials confirmed the milestone, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter ahead of an official announcement.

Seven million was the original target set by the Congressional Budget Office for enrollment in taxpayer-subsidized private health insurance through new online markets created under Obama's signature legislation.

That was scaled back to 6 million after the disastrous launch of HealthCare.gov last fall. Several state-run websites also had crippling problems.

Americans who rushed to apply for health insurance Monday faced long, frustrating waits and a new spate of website ills on deadline day.

"This is like trying to find a parking spot at Wal-Mart on Dec. 23," said Jason Stevenson, working with a Utah nonprofit group helping people enroll.

At times, more than 125,000 people were simultaneously using HealthCare.gov, straining it beyond its capacity. For long stretches Monday, applicants were shuttled to a virtual waiting room where they could leave an email address and be contacted later.

Officials said the site had not crashed but was experiencing very heavy volume. The website, which was receiving 1.5 million visitors a day last week, had recorded about 2 million through 3 p.m. EDT. Call centers have more than 840,000 calls.

Supporters of the health care law fanned out across the country in a final dash to sign up uninsured Americans. People not signed up for health insurance by the deadline, either through their jobs or on their own, were subject to being fined by the IRS, and that threat was helping drive the final dash.

The administration announced last week that people still in line by midnight would get extra time to enroll.

The website stumbled early in the day — out of service for nearly four hours as technicians patched a software bug. Another hiccup in early afternoon temporarily kept new applicants from signing up, and then things slowed further. Overwhelmed by computer problems when launched last fall, the system has been working much better in recent months, but independent testers say it still runs slowly.

At Chicago's Norwegian American Hospital, people began lining up shortly after 7 a.m. to get help signing up for subsidized private health insurance.

Lucy Martinez, an unemployed single mother of two boys, said she'd previously tried to enroll at a clinic in another part of the city but there was always a problem. She'd wait and wait and they wouldn't call her name, or they would ask her for paperwork that she was told earlier she didn't need, she said. Her diabetic mother would start sweating so they'd have to leave.

She's heard "that this would be better here," said Martinez, adding that her mother successfully signed up Sunday at a different location.

At St. Francis Hospital in Wilmington, Del., enrollment counselor Hubert Worthen plunged into a long day. "I got my energy drink," he said. "This is epic, man."

At a Houston community center, there were immigrants from Ethiopia, Nepal, Eritrea, Somalia, Iraq, Iran and other conflict-torn areas, many of them trying anew after failing to complete applications previously. In addition to needing help with the actual enrollment, they needed to wait for interpreters. Many had taken a day off from work, hoping to meet the deadline.

The White House and other supporters of the law were hoping for an enrollment surge that would confound skeptics.

The insurance markets — or exchanges — offer subsidized private health insurance to people who don't have access to coverage through their jobs. The federal government is taking the lead in 36 states, while 14 other states plus Washington, D.C., are running their own enrollment websites.

New York, running its own site, reported more than 812,000 had signed up by Sunday morning, nearly 100,000 of them last week.

However, it's unclear what those numbers may mean.

The administration hasn't said how many of the 6 million people nationally who had signed up before the weekend ultimately closed the deal by paying their first month's premiums. Also unknown is how many were previously uninsured — the real test of Obama's health care overhaul. In addition, the law expands coverage for low-income people through Medicaid, but only about half the states have agreed to implement that option.

Cheering on the deadline-day sign-up effort, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius planned to spend much of the day Monday working out of the department's TV studio, conducting interviews by satellite with stations around the country.

Though March 31 was the last day officially to sign up, millions of people are potentially eligible for extensions granted by the administration.

Those include people who had begun enrolling by the deadline but didn't finish, perhaps because of errors, missing information or website glitches. The government says it will accept paper applications until April 7 and take as much time as necessary to handle unfinished cases on HealthCare.gov. Rules may vary in states running their own insurance marketplaces.

The administration is also offering special extensions to make up for all sorts of problems that might have kept people from getting enrolled on time: Natural disasters. Domestic abuse. Website malfunctions. Errors by insurance companies. Mistakes by application counselors.

To seek a special enrollment period, contact the federal call center, at 1-855-889-4325, or the state marketplace and explain what happened. It's on the honor system. If the extension is approved, that brings another 60 days to enroll.

Those who still don't get health insurance run the risk that the Internal Revenue Service will fine them next year for remaining uninsured. It remains to be seen how aggressively the penalties called for in the law are enforced.

Also, the new markets don't have a monopoly on health insurance. People not already covered by an employer or a government program can comply with the insurance mandate by buying a policy directly from an insurer. They'll just have to pay the full premium themselves, although in a few states there may be an exception to that rule as well.

Supporters of the law held their breath early Monday when the website was taken down.

In Oakton, Va., enrollment counselor Rachel Klein said she noticed the website was running slowly.

"We all came into it understanding that today was going to be challenging," said Klein. "We're all relieved that there's going to be a little extra time for people."

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio said Monday that Republicans remain committed to repealing Obama's law. Reported by Huffington Post 53 minutes ago.

AP sources: Health law sign-ups on track to hit 7M

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Beating expectations, President Barack Obama's health care overhaul was on track to sign up more than 7 million Americans for health insurance on deadline day Monday, government officials told The Associated Press. Reported by TwinCities.com 1 hour ago.

McAuliffe: House GOP rebuffed offer of tax cut for Medicaid expansion

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Gov. Terry McAuliffe told a high-powered group of health-care advocates last week that House Republicans had rejected a suggestion to tie a business tax cut to an expansion of health insurance coverage for poor Virginians, sources told the Daily Press. Reported by dailypress.com 51 minutes ago.

New Technical Woes Hobble Health Sign-Ups at Zero Hour

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Problems in the federal health insurance website stymied some of the hundreds of thousands of Americans trying to sign up at the last minute, prompting officials to brace for the task of enrolling people after Monday's deadline. Reported by Wall Street Journal 42 minutes ago.

LAST MINUTE CRASH: Obamacare website goes down on enrollment deadline, but White House says enrollment reaching original goal

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Healthcare.gov website went down for more than an hour on the health insurance enrollment deadline. White House spokesman Jay Carney projected signups "significantly" above recent Congressional Budget Office projection. Reported by NY Daily News 34 minutes ago.

Obama: 7.1 Million Americans Signed Up for Health Insurance Before Deadline

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President Barack Obama said Tuesday that 7.1 million Americans were able to sign up for health insurance prior to the deadline for the Affordable Care Act. Reported by NY1 6 hours ago.

The top 20 public universities in the country and whether they require students to have health insurance

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The University of Central Florida is considering a requirement for students to have health insurance starting in 2014.  But UCF isn't the first school to make the requirement. In fact, of the top 20 schools in the U.S. News & World Report rankings, 65 percent of them require students to carry health insurance. Check the database below to see who requires health insurance for students. Reported by bizjournals 7 hours ago.
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