SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – As the nation heads into the second year of the health care law, the federal government and states are preparing for open enrollment. Starting Saturday, consumers will be able to enroll for 2015 coverage through health insurance marketplaces, also known as exchanges. The marketplaces in each state will allow you to shop for plans and apply for tax credits that can greatly reduce your premiums. You can also find out if you qualify for free or low-cost coverage through Medicaid.
Here are some changes for 2015:
Q: What is happening with health plan costs and how much will I pay?
A: Plans and premiums for 2015 are now online at HealthCare.gov or your state’s exchange. You can apply between Nov. 15, 2014, and Feb. 15, 2015. Plans cover essential health benefits, pre-existing conditions, and preventive care. If you were already covered this year, you can change plans during open enrollment.
According to PricewaterhouseCoopers’s Health Research Institute, the average premium will be around $344 before tax credit subsidies. That’s an increase from 2014 of about 3.5 percent. Premiums vary from state to state with some down as much as 22 percent and others up 35 percent.