New health plan marketplace deadline gives New Yorkers more time to enroll
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The state’s official healthcare marketplace has extended today’s deadline for open enrollment in qualified health plans, giving New Yorkers an extra week to get health insurance coverage in 2020.
“By extending the open enrollment period, we are putting consumers first, making sure they have time to find the plan that best fits their needs and enroll in coverage for 2020,” says Donna Frescatore, executive director of New York’s health plan marketplace, NY State of Health.
Consumers can enroll in a health plan:
- Online until 11:55 p.m. on February 7
- In-person at several locations throughout the state
- By phone: (855) 355-5777
Using the online marketplace estimator tool, consumers can find plans by entering their ZIP code, household income, and the ages of whoever needs coverage.
The customer service center phone line operates extended hours this Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The hotline’s regular hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Once open enrollment ends, only those consumers who experience a specific life-change event—losing coverage, getting married, having a child, or moving—may sign up for a qualifying health plan.
NY State of Health’s original January 31 cutoff date would have limited access to affordable qualified health plans for many New Yorkers. A qualified health plan is medical insurance that covers all requirements of the Affordable Care Act.
Nearly five million people are already enrolled in programs through NY State of Health, with over 250,000 in qualified health plans. Four-fifths of those enrollees have renewed their coverage, and the rest are new.
Outside of certain specific conditions, most marketplace enrollees should see no change in the cost of coverage this year compared to 2019.
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