Politics & Government

Health Care Deadline Fast Approaching

Sign up by March 31 or face fines equal to 1% of your annual salary.

The deadline to sign up for coverage through the health insurance marketplace is fast approaching. Those wishing to purchase coverage through the exchange must do so by March 31 or face fines and lack of coverage.

You can read the full Affordable Care Act here.

It is now too late to sign up using traditional paper forms, so those looking to sign up must do so online at healthcare.gov. You can also call 1-800-318-2596 24 hours a day, seven days a week with questions or for help submitting an application.

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Click here for a checklist of items you’ll need when signing up.

If you don’t enroll by March 31, and don’t have some other form of health insurance, such as Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP and job-related plans, you will face fines equal to 1% of your annual salary or $95 per adult and $47.50 per child in the household, whichever is higher. Those fines will be due with your 2015 taxes. 

Find out what's happening in Phoenixvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

You also will be unable to sign up for coverage under the Affordable Care Act until the next open enrollment period, which will begin Nov. 15 for coverage in 2015.

One last piece of advice — once you’ve selected a plan, make sure to pay your first premium. You haven’t really signed up until that happens.

Have you signed up for coverage through the health insurance marketplace? 


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