Need health insurance?  Or want to change your plan?  Open enrollment for health insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is here!  To make sure you have health insurance in 2018, sign up on healthcare.gov by December 15, 2017.

This year the open enrollment period is shorter than usual, so don’t wait!  Get started now so you can shop around and do your research on what each plan offers.  Plans can change from year to year, so make sure you know what your plan covers, even if you are keeping the same plan that you had in 2017.  Things that might change in your plan include:  cost (premiums, deductibles, copays, coinsurance), which practitioners are in-network, additional coverage benefits (mental health, outpatient lab results, long term care, etc.).  Confused already?  Learn more about these terms here.

The National Kidney Foundation knows that shopping for health insurance can be challenging, particularly when you have a chronic health condition. That’s why we developed the Kidney Health Insurance Worksheet to help you get organized and know what to look for when shopping for coverage. We also created a decision aide for individuals with kidney failure who are exploring all of their insurance options, including eligibility for Medicare.

To apply visit healthcare.gov to apply online OR you can also seek free personalized assistance in person or over the phone to guide you through the process of picking a health insurance plan, applying for coverage, and checking to see if you qualify for financial assistance.  To get assistance find phone numbers for your state on healthcare.gov or on your state’s health insurance marketplace website.

Have you enrolled in an ACA Marketplace Plan? Share your experience with us by leaving a comment or emailing nkfadvocacy@kidney.org.