January 2014 is here! You purchased new health insurance and you’re ready to visit the doctor, pharmacy, etc. for the first time.
The only problem is, you have no paperwork from your carrier to show you’re covered.
You are not alone.
The technical glitches that plagued the online federal and state health insurance marketplaces have resulted in bigger problems for many Americans who thought they had signed up for a policy through the exchange, but still have not received any proof of coverage.
Many of our clients, after contacting the exchange to confirm their coverage, learned that there is, in fact, no record of them ever having even applied in the first place.
Imagine showing up at a doctor’s visit and being told you have no insurance!?!
If you think you purchased a plan — on or off exchange — here are some things you should do before you visit a doctor or other provider for the first time:
- Make sure you have received from your carrier an insurance card that contains your plan’s information. If you do not have a card, contact the carrier to either get a temporary card or some other way to confirm your coverage.
- Make sure you know when your first premium payment is due.
- Make sure you understand which doctors, pharmacies, etc. are in your network.
- Bring your insurance card or other proof of coverage with you when you visit the doctor or other provider. It may not be a bad idea to check with the providers first to see what type of documentation they require.
If you are having trouble, please let us know. We will do our best to help.
If you have not yet shopped for coverage effective January 1, please contact us right away. You can avoid the penalty tax by signing up for coverage by March 31, 2014 (read more).
Please be patient as we continue to experience a high volume of calls and emails.
