Consumers get one-day extension on Obamacare deadline

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON Mon Dec 23, 2013 1:02pm EST

(Reuters) - The Obama administration said on Monday it has extended a deadline for health insurance under Obamacare, giving consumers shopping on HealthCare.gov an extra day, until December 24, to pick plans to kick in for coverage beginning January 1.

"The deadline for signing up for coverage to start January 1 is today," said Julie Bataille, a spokeswoman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the agency responsible for the website.

"Anticipating high demand and the fact that consumers may be enrolling from multiple time zones, we have taken steps to make sure that those who select a plan through tomorrow will get coverage for January 1," she said in a statement.

(Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Chris Reese)


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/23/us-usa-healthcare-deadline-idUSBRE9BM0NY20131223

[nradisic]

1. Just got ours!

Have been without health insurance for 3 years. My wife and I now have pretty good coverage at an affordable price. Thank you President Obama.

[Maeve]

8. Same story here!

3 years without regular insurance, affordable coverage now (paid first premium yesterday!)
Thanks, Mr President and the Democrats of Congress (since no Republican voted for it)

[Stuart G]

2. k and r...

[OnlinePoker]

3. When do the fines start if you haven't signed up?

I read in another thread earlier today that they are expecting only 20% of all eligible will have signed up by the end of March.

[Sunlei]

7. when you file your yearly income tax report fine will be taken from your tax refund.

or added to your tax payment.

[OnlinePoker]

10. CBO says online 26% (7,100,000) will be signed up by the end of March

http://acasignups.net/

Do you think they will actually start levying fines on the 21 million that haven't signed up yet or will there be a grace period?

[Sunlei]

11. I'm almost positive there will be an additional line on your tax form to pay the fine...or

get your gov paid-tax credit updated for your insurance.so if you do your yearly taxes with the IRS, you will have to pay the fine at that time.

If you don't make enough income to even file a tax form then nothing to worry about. If you make less than 18k a year or so, the insurance bronze level costs you nothing.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

4. Bah! Humbug!

This seems like a nice grace period.

But, a bunch of low-level insurance industry workers just got told their plans for 12/24 have to be cancelled at the last minute. The family visits, the air travel, the road trip, gone. Stay in your cubicles.

Politicians' and high-level insurance executives' plans are unaffected.

Merry Christmas.

[jwirr]

5. Thank you for the warning. I read it earlier and used it to scare my granddaughter-in-law into going

for help tonight. She came home and was excited. She actually qualified for Medicaid extension and does not have to pay for anything. That is a blessing because this family is just barely making it. I suspect she would not have had to pay a fine but I did not tell her all of the story. She is a procrastinator and would never have gotten this done if not for this article.

[freshwest]

12. That's great news for her. n/t

[jwirr]

13. It is great news for all of us as we are very dependent on each other. This will allow us to put

more food on the table.

[freshwest]

14. And that was part of Obama's plan, too. Now let's keep going. Happy New Year, jwirr. n/t

[Trailrider1951]

6. Would someone please post a link

to that website where you put in your zip code and it shows you what plans are available? My daughter is looking for insurance, but would like to know what is available at what price before actually signing up. Thank you so much!

[Sunlei]

9. It's really easy to register on healthcare.gov. you answer a few questions (easy) & then see price

If it's helpful, if your daughter makes about 18-20 k a year, the cost is zero or close to zero for bronze insurance, about 50-100 for silver level and only about 200 a month for gold plans. You do not have to pay for anything or sign-up for insurance by just registering.