Beginning in 2014, if you purchase your coverage on your own or have a small business, you will have new options for comparing and buying health plans:
- Individuals who purchase health insurance on their own will have the option of participating in one of the new Health Insurance Marketplaces, also known as Exchanges. These online marketplaces will provide one-stop shopping for a range of plans, so you can better evaluate your choices. Kaiser Permanente plans to participate in the exchanges, and we look forward to welcoming both new and current members. Open enrollment begins in the fall of 2013.
- The government can help some people pay for health coverage and care through subsidies. This means the government may help pay your health insurance premium each month. It is based on how much money you make and the size of your family. The other way the government can help is by lowering the limit on the amount you pay for care you receive. Only some people can get one or both of these subsidies. It is based on your income, where you live, and if you are a U.S. citizen. You have to enroll in one of certain plans in the new Health Insurance Marketplace. People who have health insurance through their job, Medicaid, Medicare, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) cannot get either of these subsidies.
- Small business owners will also be able participate in health insurance exchanges known as Small Business Health Options Programs (SHOPs).
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