In many states, Open Enrollment season has come and gone. If you missed the Open Enrollment window to renew, change or choose a health insurance plan, you’re not alone. Every year, millions of Americans miss the deadline to enroll in health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Now you may be wondering what to do next.
Many people assume that missing the Open Enrollment deadline means they’ll be stuck with a health plan they don’t like — or stuck with having no health insurance at all. That’s not the case. If you find yourself locked out of Open Enrollment, the good news is you still have options.
Check the Deadline
Some states are offering extensions for Open Enrollment to give people more time to decide on health insurance during pandemic disruptions. Check your state’s ACA Marketplace to see if you have more time than you thought to choose a health plan.
Special Enrollment Period
In some cases, you may be able to get health insurance outside the Open Enrollment period. If you’ve experienced a qualifying life event — such as a change in marital status, the birth of a child, a death in the family, or job loss that resulted in loss of health coverage — you may be able to enroll in a health plan during a Special Enrollment Period outside the window.
Choose a Different Health Plan Option
If you were unable to get an Affordable Care Act health plan through the ACA marketplace, you do have other health plan options. These include private health insurance plans outside the marketplace, as well as Christian health sharing plans.
Christian Health Sharing Offers Anytime Signup
Millions of Americans are making the decision to switch from traditional health plans and ACA health plans to Christian health sharing or faith-based share plans. That is because Christian health share programs offer greater freedom and flexibility, as well as affordable access to quality healthcare services.
With a faith-based health share plan, you can enroll any time of the year — no need to wait for the Open Enrollment window. And many are surprised to learn that most Christian health sharing plans have a wide provider network, giving members more freedom of choice in selecting a doctor.
With this freedom and flexibility come significant savings. Christian health sharing plans spread the costs of healthcare across all their members. This allows members to save as much as 30% to 40% compared to the cost of traditional healthcare premiums. These savings can help offset added costs associated with vaccine mandates and required COVID-19 testing — costs that many employers are starting to push onto their employees. With a faith-based health plan, you can continue to live by your beliefs and values and make your own healthcare decisions for you and your family.
Whether you signed up for a health plan during Open Enrollment or missed the deadline like so many others — it’s never too late to consider your options and switch to Christian Health Sharing. Learn more about faith-based health sharing plans here.