Key Points
More insurance companies and plans to choose from than in years past.
Many 2022 plans feature copays for doctor office visits and prescription drugs and lower deductibles.
9 in 10 Americans qualify for a monthly premium subsidy. Mid-to-higher-income folks could receive a premium tax credit for the first time!
Marketplace 2022 Open Enrollment ends on January 15, 2022. Work with a trusted local agent for the fastest and best service.
IMPROVED PLAN DESIGNS
By the first week of January 2022, 1.36 million Americans have enrolled in the Federal Health Insurance Marketplace and state marketplace plans*. Most enrollees are self-employed, 1099 contractors, and workers with no job-based
health insurance.
Consumers have good reasons for flocking to the 2022 Health Insurance Marketplace. More carriers are participating in the Federal Marketplace and state marketplaces. More competition means more plan choices for consumers, including many plans with lower deductibles and doctor and prescription copays. Some plans even include virtual doctor visits, dental and vision, and non-insurance wellness benefits.
RECALCULATED PREMIUM SUBSIDIES
Not only have the plan choices improved, but you'll find that 2022 premium subsidies are more generous due to legislation passed in March 2021. Many mid- and higher-income households who didn't qualify for premium assistance past now qualify!
Depending on income, age, and household size, many will qualify for help with cost-sharing like deductibles and copays on certain plans. Estimates are that by the end of the 2022 Open Enrollment period, 4 in 5 enrollees will be paying $10 a month or less for their plans.
"Marketplace coverage is the most affordable it's ever been," said Karen Pollitz, a senior fellow with the Kaiser Family Foundation. "Even if you looked in the past and were discouraged, it's a good idea to check again."
For example, a 30-year-old with $35,000 in income would pay, on average, $142 a month for a silver plan — instead of $389 monthly — after a premium tax credit of $247, per the Kaiser Family Foundation's online estimating tool.
A married couple, both age 50, with one child under age 18 and income of $65,000 would get $1,169 monthly, on average, to bring the cost of a silver plan down to $316 from $1,485.
NETWORK PROVIDER AND PRESCRIPTION DRUG COST TRANSPARENCY
Handy online tools or your local Agent can identify plans that include your doctor and hospital as network providers before you purchase a plan. They can also check what your prescription drugs will cost. This additional transparency ensures there are no surprises when you use your plan.
WORK WITH A LOCAL EXPERT
Call Judy at Judy Bezler Insurance, (704) 559-9323: to have benefits explained at your pace, a quick check of the plans your doctor takes and what prescriptions will cost, real-time side-by-side plan comparisons, and professional help in maximizing premium tax credits.
Judy Bezler Insurance serves NC, SC, GA, OH, TX and FL.
Don't wait! Marketplace 2022 Open Enrollment ends January 15, 2022.
*Ref. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services