Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) News

Health Reform News Blog

Welcome to our Health Care Reform Page. See below for our most recent articles on how ObamaCare works. Click on the links to the right for our most popular articles or to select news in your state. If you have questions or would like to find out how much the ObamaCare plans cost, call us at 800-930-7956 Start with our ObamaCare 101 to get a quick overview of how the Affordable Care Act works.

Recent Affordable Care Act News

Comparing Exchange Plans: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum

The Healthcare Exchange has four new health insurance plans which set the standard of care, named Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. All plans must offer the same essential benefits, however individual providers and states may offer extended or additional benefits. This page is dedicated to comparing the four plans.

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Finally an Easy Way to Apply for ObamaCare

As you have probably heard, the ObamaCare website has had some serious glitches, but now there is a way to avoid all that. Medicoverage announced today that they are able to quickly submit applications…

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50 State Premium Rates: Affordable Care Act

The Health Insurance Marketplace opening is on October 1, 2013,  we have compiled a list of preliminary premiums for all 50 states plus DC. The new Affordable Care Act plans are known as the…

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ObamaCare 101

We get a lot of questions about how the Affordable Care Act, aka ObamaCare, affects people like you. So, we figured we might as well explain a few of the details of the…

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Sign up for ObamaCare: ACA Enrollment and Start Dates

When you enroll for ObamaCare affects when your coverage starts. The new Health Insurance Marketplace offers plans by private insurance companies, the plans are known as the new “metal” plans…

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Is In Vitro Covered by ObamaCare?

In Vitro Fertilization is a procedure many Americans need to be able to have children, however most are unaware if it is covered by ObamaCare. By now most have probably heard about the essential health benefits required…

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BlueCard Included in ObamaCare Plans

BlueCard® is included in ObamaCare PPO plans. BlueCard members belong to a national Blue Cross Blue Shield program that enables them to receive care when traveling away from home or living in another…

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Obamacare Coops, Almost Half Shut Down

Almost half of the Obamacare health insurance coops are shutting down due to not receiving certain subsidies needed to stay afloat. 11 of the 23 coops are shutting down, and will affect its enrollees who need to find a new plan for 2016, as well as…

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Silver Healthcare Exchange Plan Overview

The Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare, offers the Silver plan with the second lowest monthly premium and moderate cost-sharing, as well as, its the only plan that offers subsidies to cover…

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Platinum Healthcare Exchange Plan Details

The Healthcare Exchange offers the Platinum plan with lowest cost-sharing and out of pocket maximum, but the highest…

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Gold Healthcare Exchange Plan Outline of Coverage

Obamacare, AKA Affordable Care Act, offers the Gold plan. The Gold plan has low out of pocket costs, but higher…

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Bronze Healthcare Exchange Plan Explained

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, AKA Obamacare, offers 4 insurance plans called Bronze, Silver, Gold, and PlatinumHere are specific details about how the Bronze plan works.

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ObamaCare Multistate Plans VS PPOs

Multistate Affordable Care Act plans are available on the Health Insurance Marketplace but many people confuse them with PPOs.

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Affordable Care Act Multi-State Plans

ObamaCare, the informal name of the Affordable Care Act, offers multi-state plans. These plans may be purchased on the Exchange, but what are they?

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HSA Contribution Limits 2015

Health Savings Accounts are health plans with a high-deductible that allows individuals and their qualified dependents to contribute pretax dollars into a savings account. Here are the 2015 figures.

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Affordable Care Act: HSAs Here to Stay?

HSAs are here to stay. Health Savings Accounts are offered on and off the exchange. HSAs are high-deductible, tax advantaged health plans, that for some people are they right choice because…

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Obamacare Tax Season Special Enrollment Period

CMS just announced an Obamacare Special Enrollment Period for those who were uninsured in 2014 until now, during tax season. There are a few qualifications you must meet. 1) You must state that you first became aware of…

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Anthem Cyber Attack: Affects Current & Former Clients

Anthem’s, formally known as Wellpoint Inc., database has been the victim of the largest cyber attack in history, with over 80 million…

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Cedars-Sinai Joins Blue Shield CA Network

Cedars-Sinai just announced that it is will join the Blue Shield of California network as of March 1, 2015. If you already enrolled during Open Enrollment you can still switch your plan by…

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What Will My Obamacare Penalty Be?

If you owe an Obamacare penalty there is a specific formula to calculate exactly what you owe. Add your household income then subtract…

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Anthem CA Extends Off-Exchange Deadline Until 12/31

Anthem Blue Cross of California has extended its off-Exchange deadline until December 31, 2014 for a January 1st start date. There is one caveat…

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Covered CA Extends Deadline for Jan 1 Health Plans

Covered California has extended its Obamacare exchange enrollment deadline to December 21st, for a January 1, 2015 start date.

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Enroll today! First Day of Health Insurance Open Enrollment

Today, November 15, 2014, is the first day of the Affordable Care Act Open Enrollment for 2015 individual health plans.

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Obamacare Subsidies: Underestimated Income? What You Owe Back

When you applied for Obamacare premium subsidies for a 2014 plan you estimated what your income would be, but what happens if you underestimated and actually made more than you claimed?

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ObamaCare FAQs for Young Adults Under 26

The Affordable Care Act extends coverage under a parents’ plan for eligible adult children until their 26th birthday. Here are some frequently asked questions about Obamacare coverage for young adults.

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Cedars-Sinai ObamaCare Plans

Cedars-Sinai accepts several Obamacare Exchange plans and off-Exchange plans to receive coverage from the world-renowned California hospital and its providers.

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Affordable Care Act: Penalties for the Uninsured

An Obamacare penalty will be assessed for those who do not have health insurance and don’t qualify for an exemption.

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How to Avoid Penalties Under ObamaCare

ObamaCare can hold some pretty hefty penalties if you don’t have health insurance. Here’s how to avoid paying the penalty.

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ObamaCare Health Plans: Am I Covered When I Travel?

ObamaCare health plans offer coverage that stay within certain networks, but does it cover you when you travel? It depends.

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Healthcare Exchange Cost-Sharing Subsidies: What You Need to Know

The Affordable Care Act, commonly known as ObamaCare, offers cost-sharing subsidies to help cover out of pocket costs. To qualify for cost-sharing reductions your income needs to fall between…

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Health Care Exchange Premium Subsidies: Do You Qualify?

The Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as ObamaCare, offers subsidies to help pay a portion of your health insurance under the new law. They are available for individuals with an annual income up to…

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Feds Say: Consumers Must Renew ObamaCare Plans

The federal Health Insurance Marketplace just announced that Obamacare consumers should return to the federal site to renew their plans during open enrollment for 2015. If they don’t, they may find that they are uninsured as of January 1st.

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ACA: Young People Should You Opt for a Penalty?

Generation Opportunity a conservative group has created a youth campaign telling young persons to take the penalty over enrolling in a health plan. Should you opt out? Well…

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ACA Subsidies: Think You Qualify? Think Again

Many Americans are going to be surprised that they don’t qualify for subsidies even though their income falls within federal eligibility standards. The reason for this is…

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Indiana Special Enrollment for Same-Sex Spouses

With the immediate expansion of same-sex marriage in Indiana, a special open enrollment period for same-sex spouses runs from now until November 30, 2014. Here is what this means for same-sex married couples.

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Open Enrollment Nov 15th: Only Time to Apply for Health Plans

The Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare, offers one time a year to enroll in or change your individual health plan for 2015.

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Unhappy with Current Health Plan? You Can Switch on Nov 15!

If you’re unhappy with your current health plan you can switch as of November 15th for 2015 coverage. ObamaCare offers an Open Enrollment each year that allows you to either enroll in or change your health plan.

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What’s Off-Exchange Health Insurance, and Do I Want It?

Affordable Care Act Off-Exchange plans explained: why you would want them and how they work.

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California ACA Plans Require ‘Identity Proofing’

Covered California announced as of today, August 4, 2014, all participants in the healthcare plans through the Exchange are required to prove their identity.

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ObamaCare: Open Enrollment vs Special Enrollment

ObamaCare offers two types of enrollment periods each year: Open Enrollment and a Special Enrollment Period. Here is the difference between the two Affordable Care Act’s enrollment periods.

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CA Special Enrollment Period for Individuals Covered by COBRA

Covered California, California’s ObamaCare Exchange, announced that it has created a Special Enrollment Period for those covered by COBRA. Starting May 15, 2014, people who have…

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Anthem CA Off-Exchange Extension

Anthem Blue Cross of California announced today that it has extended enrollment into off-Exchange plans until…

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ObamaCare CA: Online App Extension

All Affordable Care Act plans must be enrolled in by March 31, 2014 to avoid a penalty*. However, Covered California is concerned that there will be such an influx of last minute applications that it has made an exception for online applicants…

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Californian’s ObamaCare Jan Pay Deadline Extended

Covered California just announced that Californian’s who signed up for one of the new ObamaCare plans with a January 1st start date now have until January…

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ObamaCare Fed Exchange Payment Extension

ObamaCare plans have been given another extension due to issues with the CMS site. This time enrollees in the federal exchange may pay their premium as late as…

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Final Days of Tonik Health Plans: CO, GA, NV

Tonik health plans, which are popular with the younger crowd due to their relatively low monthly premiums, are seeing their final enrollment dates in Colorado, Georgia, and Nevada. The final day to…

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ObamaCare: Catastrophic Plan Best for Young People?

When looking at ObamaCare plans, a Catastrophic plan may be the most cost effective if you’re under 30. But not always. Let me explain.

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Colorado ObamaCare Plan Extension

Connect for Health Colorado announced today that the Obamacare individual and family plans have been extended to December…

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Covered CA Small Business Site Not Working, Agents Help

Covered California’s ACA SHOP plans are still not functioning properly, even though an email sent out today claimed they were. The enrollment and quote tool for small business is not working. However, employers have another…

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HMO vs EPO vs PPO Obamacare Networks Explained

With the Affordable Care Act plans you might be seeing this term “EPO” as an option. You’ve probably heard of HMOs and PPOs, but EPO is not as widely used until now. The new ACA plans…

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ACA: Maryland Small Business Delay, Brokers Step in to Enroll

Maryland announced that it is delaying its SHOP enrollment launch until April 1, 2014. Small businesses may still receive SHOP tax credits and enroll through an agent or broker for health insurance that begins…

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ACA: Fed SHOP Delay, Small Businesses Enroll Through Agents

Healthcare.gov delayed the Affordable Care Act federal SHOP exchanges purchased through their site till 2015. However, small businesses, if they qualify, may still receive SHOP tax credits when they enroll through agents…

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Anthem of Indiana Extends Renewals Till Dec 15

Anthem Blue Cross of Indiana just released that they are extending renewals for individual and family health plans until December 15, 2013. This announcement comes after the Indiana Department of Insurance decided to reject…

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Fed’s ACA Website Will Not Be Fixed by Dec 1st, CMS Says

The federal website, Healthcare.gov, “will not work perfectly on Dec. 1,” per CMS spokesperson, Julie Bataille. The spokesperson went on to say, “periods of suboptimal performance” will still be present due to high traffic and…

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Part-Time Employees Better or Worse Off With ACA Plans?

Are part-time employees better or worse off with the new Affordable Care Act plans? That really depends on who you ask which answer you’ll get.

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ObamaCare: Federal Enrollment Extended Till Dec 23rd

The federally run Obamacare plans have received an extension till December 23, 2013 for a January 1, 2014 start date. This gives consumers in those states an extra 8 days to decide on one of the new Bronze, Silver…

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Medicare Planning: 6 Things All Medicare-Eligibles Should Do Today

Many Medicare-Eligibles are very independent and are living their lives with little to no assistance. As November is National Medicare Family Caregiver’s Month, we decided to write an article about what you and family can do…

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Maryland Extends ACA Enrollment

The Maryland Health Benefit Exchange announced today that they extended their ObamaCare enrollment to…

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ACA: California Rejects Obama’s Offer to Extend Plans

California’s health insurance marketplace board voted unanimously not to extend health insurance plans that are not ACA compliant. The state rejected President Obama’s offer of…

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Oregon ACA Enrollment Date 11 Days Earlier Than Fed’s

According to Cover Oregon, Oregonian’s who want Obamacare coverage to start January 1, 2014, must submit applications for health insurance and financial savings by…

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Anthem CA Only ACA Provider for UCLA Med Center

Anthem Blue Cross is the only provider offering ACA exchange plan coverage to UCLA Medical Center and other UC research hospitals. The ObamaCare plans known as Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum have limited…

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Cedars-Sinai Only Offered on 2 Health Net ACA Plans

Cedar-Sinai is only offered on two lower priced Health Net plans in the California ObamaCare exchange. It was previously thought that none of the California Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum would be included…

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Covered Ca Enrollment To Shut Down

Covered California just announced their site will shut down enrollment from November 22nd to November 25th. Medicoverage has you covered during this time. Agents will be able to help with questions and enrolling in…

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4 Easy Steps to Get Covered Under ObamaCare

We know how complicated this whole ObamaCare exchange process can be, so we created a 4-Step Affordable Care Act guide to help you find out how to learn if you qualify for subsidies, get a quote, and…

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ObamaCare: How Will Less Doctors Help More Patients?

It probably won’t come as surprise that there is a shortage of doctors, but with the Affordable Care Act going into full effect January 1, 2014, doctors may be pushed to the limit. The patients will either be enrolled in ACA plans…

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Affordable Care Act and Mental Health Coverage

The Affordable Care Act includes mental health in its essential health benefits. It has been released what ACA plan enrollees can expect from their new Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum plans in regards to treatment for mental health.

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ObamaCare DC Only 5 Enrolled in Health Plans

Only 5 DC residents have enrolled in the new ObamaCare Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum plans. These residents represent those who have chosen for a plan and paid for it.

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ObamaCare: What Happens if My Plan is Cancelled?

According to CMS, a law in place before the Affordable Care Act was passed, known as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) states that all individual health plans are considered “guaranteed renewable”...

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Do you Live in one of the 24 States Not Expanding Medicaid?

24 states have decided not to expand Medicaid to about 5.4 Million eligible residents. The Affordable Care Act presented a plan to the states that 100% of the cost of Medicaid would be covered by…

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Affordable Care Act: No Smoking Penalty in Ca?

The Affordable Care Act has a separate smoking penalty that can reach over $5,000 for an individual. However, when I spoke with my contact at Covered California, he said that California is considering smoking…

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Affordable Care Act: WA 55k Enroll

Washington Healthplanfinder announced yesterday that more than 55,000 residents have enrolled ObamaCare health coverage known as the…

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ObamaCare: States Unable to Verify Subsidies

ObamaCare enrollment numbers down this week due to outages at the Federal Data Services Hub. This system is managed by the federal government and allows

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ACA: 2.6 Mil Californian’s Eligible for Subsidies

According to Covered California’s press release today, approximately 2.6 million people are eligible for federal subsidies to help with the new Affordable Care Act plans. As well as, more than 1 million additional…

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CA: Alameda Alliance for Health Removed from Exchange

Alameda Alliance for Health has not been approved by the state of California to sell health coverage in the commercial market for the new Affordable Care Act Bronze…

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Affordable Care Act Deadline Extended

Due to glitches with the website, the Obama Administration has extended the Affordable Care Act enrollment deadline to March 31, 2014. Wait, you might be thinking, wasn’t that already the deadline? Let us explain.

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ObamaCare Penalty: $95 or $3,000?

The Affordable Care Act penalty is $95 according to many sources, but that won’t be accurate for many people who choose to forego insurance in 2014.

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Non-ACA plans for Anthem CO, GA, NV, VA: Enroll Til Nov 15th

Anthem is allowing residents of Colorado, Georgia, Nevada, and possibly Virginia to enroll in non-Obamacare plans until November 15th. This means that all current clients can…

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ACA: Anthem Connecticut Grandfathered Plans Cancelled

All Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Connecticut’s grandfathered plans will be cancelled and will be enrolled into an Affordable Care Act compliant plan. There have been some articles written that say “some” plans, but according to our individual broker contact…

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Washington Healthplanfinder Under-Quoted Over 8,000 Applicants

Per a Washington Healthplanfinder email, over 8,000 applicants were offered higher tax credits than should have been allowed based off their…

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Fed’s Health Website Under-Quoting ACA Plan Rates

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid’s Health Insurance Marketplace website has been drastically under quoting health insurance prices. The problem is that the website doesn’t ask for…

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Anthem BCBS of Kentucky Announce Doctor/Hospital Networks

The University of Kentucky Hospital and their physicians have announced that they will join Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kentucky’s Pathway (off-Exchange) and Pathway X (on-Exchange) networks. We’ll explain the difference between on-Exchange and…

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Wisconsin ACA Premiums

Premiums are available in all states for ObamaCare plans. This page is dedicated to Wisconsin’s health care plans. The Affordable Care Act rates listed are for the new…

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West Virginia Exchange Rates

The Health Insurance Marketplace has released West Virginia’s ObamaCare plans. The rates listed do not include…

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Tennessee’s ObamaCare Premiums

Exchange premiums for all the states that defaulted to the federal Exchange have been released. This page is dedicated to Tennessee’s premiums. The ObamaCare rates listed are for the ...

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South Dakota’s ObamaCare Exchange Rates

South Dakota is one of more than 30 states who decided to let the feds set up their Exchange. The premium rates released by the Health Insurance Marketplace for South Dakota are for the Catastrophic plan and…

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Texas ObamaCare Exchange Rates

The ObamaCare premium rates for Texas’ Exchange have been released. The rates listed are for the new…

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Wyoming ACA Exchange Rates

Wyoming’s Exchange rates have been released. Wyoming is one of more than 30 states who decided to let the federal government run its Exchange. Residents of WY are able to receive help with their ACA plans from…

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South Dakota’s ObamaCare Exchange Rates

South Dakota is one of more than 30 states who decided to let the feds set up their Exchange. The premium rates released by the Health Insurance Marketplace for South Dakota are for the Catastrophic plan and…

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South Carolina’s ACA Premium Rates

South Carolina’s premium rates have been released by the Health Insurance Marketplace. The ACA rates listed are for the new…

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Exchanges Don’t List Doctors and Hospitals

In the past fourteen days the Health Insurance Marketplace has been up and running there have been a lot of glitches. One of the big problems is many of the Exchange do not include…

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How to Select an Agent on Healthcare.gov

Millions have attempted to use Healthcare.gov to research plans available in their state. However, many are receiving “busy” messages from the website and long delays on the phone. One way to avoid this is…

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Pennsylvania ObamaCare Exchange Premiums

The Pennsylvania ObamaCare premium rates are available for viewing. The Health Insurance Marketplace PA plans offered are…

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Oklahoma Affordable Care Act Rates

The Health Insurance Marketplace rates for Oklahoma are now available for viewing. Oklahoma, and 35 other states, decided to let the federal government set up its Exchange, which allows for two ways for residents to enroll…

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ObamaCare: Louisiana Exchange Pricing

Louisiana’s Affordable Care Act premium rates have been released. The prices listed for the new ObamaCare metal plans, known as…

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Affordable Care Act: Utah’s Exchange Rates

The Health Insurance Marketplace has released Utah’s Exchange premiums. The prices listed are for a handful of ages and do not include…

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New Jersey ObamaCare Premium Rates

New Jersey’s ObamaCare rates are now available. New Jersey decided to allow the federal government to set up its Exchange, which allows for two ways for residents to enroll in a new plan…

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ObamaCare: New Hampshire Rates

New Hampshire’s Affordable Care Act premium rates have been released. The state of New Hampshire is handling the Health Insurance Marketplace plans differently than most states by doing these two things…

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North Carolina ACA Exchange Rates

The Health Insurance Marketplace has released North Carolina’s new ObamaCare plan premium rates. The prices released are for the new…

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ObamaCare: Montana Rates

Montana’s ObamaCare premium rates for the new metal plans have been released. The metal plans are known as the…

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Nebraska ACA Premium Rates

The Health Insurance Marketplace has released Nebraska’s premiums. The NE rates released are for the new…

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