Health Insurance Marketplace

Finding a Health Plan That Works For You

The promise of insurance for all Americans is becoming a reality with new options available through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Now is the time to explore these options and choose a health insurance plan that fits your needs and budget.

In the Health Insurance Marketplace, consumers can go to one place to find health plans that cover a comprehensive set of benefits, and they cannot be denied coverage based on pre-existing conditions. All health plans offered through the Marketplace cover a comprehensive set of benefits, including physician visits, preventive care, hospital stays and prescriptions.

Individuals may qualify for Special Enrollment Periods outside Open Enrollment if they experience certain qualifying life events. You can apply for Medicaid or CHIP, at any time of the year.

The hospitals of Community Healthcare System have certified licensed navigators who can help you complete all three steps of the enrollment process. Or you can complete these steps yourself online at www.HealthCare.gov or Indiana Medicaid http://www.in.gov/FSSA/3030.htm

Apply for insurance coverage by filling out the application
Compare your coverage options (if applicable)
Enroll in a plan or program

Prepare to Apply:
Open Enrollment is November 1, 2016 - January 31, 2017
The hospitals of Community Healthcare System have certified, licensed Navigators who can help you complete all three steps in the enrollment process. Or, you can complete these steps yourself online at www.HealthCare.gov.

Step 1: Apply for insurance coverage by filling out the Marketplace application
Step 2: Compare your coverage options
Step 3: Enroll in a plan or program

Get Help, Call for an Appointment:
219-934-8888 or 800-210-9776

Our certified Indiana Navigators will help you obtain insurance through the Marketplace program. We will also explore options available through programs such as Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program, or Indiana's HIP program.

Many people using the Marketplace will qualify for free or low cost coverage depending on income and family size. To find out how much you are eligible for when you apply, you will need to provide:

Social security number (or document numbers for legal immigrants)
Birth certificates
Pay stubs, W-2 forms, or "wage and tax statements"
Policy numbers for any current health insurance
Information about any health insurance you or your family could get from your jobs.

Three Ways to Apply

In-person with the help of a licensed Indiana Navigator at Community Hospital in Munster; St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago or St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart. Call 219-934-8888 or 800-210-9776 for an appointment. Assistance in Spanish is available.
Online: www.HealthCare.gov
Call government representative at 1-800-318-2596. Representatives are available 24 hours a day to speak in English and Spanish and 150 additional languages.

What to know about the Health Insurance Marketplace

One Place to Shop for Health insurance
The Marketplace is making it easier for you to search for health coverage. With one application, you can compare plans, and explore any free or low-cost programs.

You may be Eligible for Help Paying Insurance Cost
By completing one simple application, you can view and compare health insurance options and find out if you are eligible, based on your income, for financial assistance in the form of tax credits to lower your cost.

Medicare Isn't Part of the Health Insurance Marketplace
If you have Medicare, you are considered covered and don't need to do anything. The Marketplace does not offer Medicare supplement insurance.

Explore your Options

You can see the premium, deductible and out-of-pocket costs of each plan before you enroll.
What plan you choose will determine how much you will pay each month and what portion of the bill you will pay for things like hospital visits or prescriptions. In general, if you choose a plan with lower monthly costs, you will pay a higher share of the costs when you get care. If you need a lot of medical care, you may want to select a plan that carries a higher monthly cost so you pay a lower share of the cost of the care you receive.
If your employer is not offering insurance in 2017, the Marketplace can provide you with new options.
You may have to pay a penalty beginning in 2017 if you don't have health insurance.