During Open Enrollment, Be Sure to Review Your Health Plan Options

Nov 2, 2020

Nov. 1st began the annual enrollment period to get health insurance. If you don’t have health insurance, or you need to renew your plan, make time to review your health plan options before open enrollment ends on Dec. 15th.

Some companies advertise health plans that don’t cover mental health or substance use care or may deny coverage for pre-existing conditions. One way to make sure you have mental health coverage in 2021 is to visit HealthCare.gov. All health plans on HealthCare.gov must cover mental health and substance use services at the same level as other health conditions.

Some plans on HealthCare.gov offer better options than others, so review the plans carefully. Additionally, 7 out of 10 people who sign up on HealthCare.gov qualify for financial help – finding plans with monthly premiums at $75 or less.

Whether choosing insurance for the first time or reevaluating your current plan, keep these factors in mind:

• Affordability. Compare monthly premiums, deductibles, co-pays and/or co-insurance to make sure you have selected the best option for your health insurance needs. Consider not only how much you will pay each month in premiums, but also how much you will pay in co-pays and co-insurance when you use services.
• Availability of mental health professionals. Check if your mental health professional(s) and other health care providers are in a health plan’s network. If they are not, find out if the insurance plan will pay for out-of-network providers—and how much they will cover.
• Coverage of prescription medications. Find a plan that covers any medication(s) you need to maintain your wellness.
• Limits on mental health office visits. Check if a plan will cover the number of therapy visits you may need. You may also need to consider differences in how plans cover inpatient (care where you spend at least one night in a medical facility which is usually a hospital) and outpatient care (where you don’t spend the night and can leave the facility after the care is over).

For extra help, you can contact the Marketplace Call Center or connect with local resources in your community to guide you through the process.

Take action by Dec. 15 to get coverage Jan. 1, 2021. Don’t risk not having health and mental health coverage in 2021.