From Access East Inc.

GREENVILLE — Health-insurance consumers are urged to enroll in an Affordable Care Act plan before Thursday to ensure they have coverage that begins Jan. 1, 2017, even though current ACA open enrollment runs through Jan. 31, 2017.

“I can’t emphasize enough the importance of the Dec. 15 deadline,” said Arden Root, ACA certified marketplace navigator with Access East Inc.

New insurance consumers are not the only ones affected by the Dec. 15 deadline, however.

“It’s equally important for those who already have insurance through the healthcare insurance marketplace to reenroll by Dec. 15, regardless of whether they like their plan or not,” Root said.

Consumers already enrolled in a plan should receive a letter from their insurance company each year informing them they don’t have to do anything if they’re satisfied with the current plan, or that their plan has been discontinued and they’ll be automatically enrolled in something else.

Root noted that many consumers nonetheless don’t understand they have the option during ACA open enrollment to change to a different plan. People read in their insurance-company correspondence that they’re not required to do anything if they’re happy with their current plan, or see that the premium listed is much higher than what they were previously paying, and assume they can no longer afford their insurance — when in both cases, other, and better, options may exist for them.

“We strongly encourage existing consumers to go back to the marketplace rather than accepting automatic reenrollment,” Root said. “Premiums, copays or deductibles may change in the consumer’s current plan, or it may no longer cover a certain drug, so a different plan may be a better option.”

A premium increase is often due to the insurance company receiving incorrect tax-credit information, Root explained. However, if consumers return to the marketplace, they may find their premiums are only a few dollars more once correct tax credits are applied. This must be done by Thursday to prevent automatic reenrollment.

Those who wait until after Thursday to make open enrollment changes will have to keep their original plan until the new coverage goes into effect. Premiums may be higher, or certain benefits may have changed, leaving consumers with a plan they have to pay for, possibly for several months, that doesn’t meet their budget or medical needs.

The Access East Certified Navigators Program has several upcoming eastern North Carolina enrollment events (www.accesseast.org/aca-upcoming-aca-enrollment-events) where the public can receive free, unbiased, expert assistance in using the marketplace to shop for ACA health coverage for 2017.

Consumers can also call for information on enrollment events or insurance, at 252- 847-3027, or to schedule personal appointments with navigators for a different day of open enrollment, call toll-free at 1-855-733-3711.