ALBANY, N.Y. (December 8, 2016) – NY State of Health, the state’s official health plan Marketplace, is reminding New Yorkers to enroll in or change plans by December 15, 2016 for coverage beginning on January 1, 2017. Since the start of Open Enrollment on November 1, the customer service center has answered nearly 740,000 calls. The NY State of Health website has also experienced high traffic during open enrollment, averaging more than 10,000 users per hour, during the day. This volume is expected to increase as the December 15th deadline approaches, so consumers are encouraged to enroll now.
“Open enrollment season is actively underway, and we invite consumers to come to the Marketplace to enroll now to avoid a gap in their coverage,” said NY State of Health Executive Director Donna Frescatore. “Finding the right plan is an important decision, so we urge customers to shop for the best value and pick a plan before the December 15th deadline.”
NY State of Health offers a variety of plans to choose from and is the only place where you can get financial help to pay for coverage. Many consumers buying plans through the Marketplace will qualify for increased financial assistance in 2017 to help make coverage more affordable. Greater tax credits offsetting the increases in premiums may result in lower actual premiums for some individuals in 2017 compared with 2016. NY State of Health’s website plan preview, or anonymous shopping tool, allows individuals to get an estimate of financial assistance and see health plan options without entering personal identifying information. The tool can be accessed here: https://nystateofhealth.ny.gov/individual.
The last day to enroll in or change a 2017 Qualified Health Plan is January 31, 2017. After this date, consumers can enroll or change plans only if they qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Individuals who are eligible for the Essential Plan, Medicaid or Child Health Plus are also encouraged to enroll now.
Consumers who have questions or need help enrolling can log onto www.nystateofhealth.ny.gov, call 1-855-355-5777 or visit an in-person assistor in their community. Customer service hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 8:00pm, and Saturdays, 9:00am – 1:00pm. The Customer Service Center will be open for extended hours on Saturday, December 10 and Sunday, December 11, from 9:00am to 4:00pm on both days. Consumers can find free, in-person enrollment help in their own community here.
###
Contact: NY State Department of Health
press@health.ny.gov
518.474.7354 ext. 1
About NY State of Health
New York opened its health plan Marketplace, NY State of Health, in October 2013. The Marketplace’s one stop health insurance shopping experience offers high quality comprehensive health plans. NY State of Health is the only place where consumers can qualify to get help paying for coverage through premium discounts or tax credits. Eligible New Yorkers can also enroll in Medicaid, Child Health Plus and the Essential Plan through the Marketplace all year. For more information about the NY State of Health Marketplace, please visit: https://nystateofhealth.ny.gov/ or call Customer Service at 1-855-355-5777, TTY: 1.800.662.1220 or find an enrollment assistor.