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If you missed the very brief enrollment period last year, or if you have lost your job recently, you can have a “do over” for signing up for federally-subsidized medical insurance. The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is extending the Affordable Care Act enrollment period to August 15.
“It’s the longest we’ve seen.”
That’s Lori Wing-Heir, Alaska’s Director of Insurance. She says normally the enrollment period is about two months long.
“And of course, ours closed December 15, and re-opened when the Biden administration got sworn in. And now they’ve extended it out till August 15.”
With the passage of the American Rescue Act, the parameters for buying insurance in the federal marketplace – on the website healthcare.gov are also more generous.
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The Deadline for signing up for free or subsidized medical insurance is just after midnight Tuesday, December 15.
“We are very concerned that people who had employer sponsored health care insurance, lost it in the recent layoffs due to the pandemic.”
That’s Lori Wing-Heir, Alaska’s Director of Insurance. She wants people to check out the plans today at healthcaremarketplace.com
Alaska has lost nearly 30,000 jobs since people have stopped traveling or eating indoors to avoid getting sick during the pandemic. According to the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section, 3,600 of those jobs are in the Interior. Many of those people have no medical insurance.