Open Enrollment – Now what?

What Happens After Open Enrollment in Illinois?

If you’re like most Illinois residents, dates for insurance open enrollment were circled on your calendar for months. You finally feel like you can take a deep breath now that all of the paperwork is in. However, there’s still just a little bit more to be done. After all, you want to make sure you’re getting the most out of your health insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid enrollment. What happens after you enroll in health insurance in Illinois? Here’s a quick guide to what happens after open enrollment.

Make Note of Your Start Date

Your enrollment date for insurance isn’t necessarily your effective date. Be sure to confirm your actual coverage start date. Generally, coverage starts the following month after enrollment. That doesn’t mean you can’t start booking important appointments until then. Simply let your care provider’s office know about your start date when you book an appointment. Most offices will be happy to hold a spot for you.

Create Your User Account

Be sure to create an online account through your provider. This can be one of the best ways to easily access policy information. You can also usually browse claims and see payments get processed much faster compared to waiting for paper claims. Be sure to store all of your account’s login and password information in a secure place that you can access easily.

Make Decisions About Care Providers

The period immediately after open enrollment is a great time to research care providers and clinics that are compatible with your coverage. Establishing a primary care provider is most important. You will generally be able to see in-network providers in your policy through your online account. Be sure to also look at specialists, labs, or prescription providers that you may need to use based on your personal health situation.

Look for Your New ID Cards

Your new ID card should be arriving shortly after enrollment. This is the insurance card you’ll need to present to the front desk when you visit medical offices and other care providers. Depending on your coverage, you may be issued a temporary paper copy of your insurance card. You may even be able to download and print your own temporary card online. In addition, you may be able to store a digital version of your card on your phone. A permanent card will generally be issued within a few weeks of your plan’s effective date. Confirm that all information is accurate once the cards arrive.

Create a Spreadsheet for Medical Expenses

As you wait for coverage to start, be proactive about making a spreadsheet to track how much you spend on medical care. This information will be helpful for making the best plan choice when the next open enrollment period comes around. For example, Medicare enrollees can use the next open enrolment period to switch from Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan or change their prescription drug plans.

What If You Missed Open Enrollment in Illinois?

When is healthcare open enrollment in Illinois? Federal open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Health Insurance Marketplace in Illinois runs from Nov. 1 through Jan. 16. Open enrollment for Medicare runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7.

Missing open enrollment generally means you’ll need to wait until the next open enrollment period to sign up for coverage. However, it’s possible to qualify outside of the open enrollment period with government or private insurance plans in some cases. This is called special enrollment. You may qualify for special enrollment if you’ve lost insurance coverage from an employer.

One way to ensure that open enrollment doesn’t pass you by is to work with a qualified health insurance agent in Illinois. Your agent will be there to send open enrollment reminders. They’ll also help you make choices for coverage based on your needs when open enrollment approaches. With enrollment rules and coverage options for Medicaid changing constantly, it’s smart to have someone on your side who keeps up with changes on your behalf.

K&B Financial is here to help you make the most of open enrollment. It doesn’t matter if you’re renewing or shopping around for health Insurance coverage in Illinois for the first time. Contact us today.

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Medicare Advantage Plan Notice:
HMO, HMO-POS and PPO plans provided by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, a Division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company (HCSC), an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.  HCSC is a Medicare Advantage organization with a Medicare contract.  Enrollment in HCSC’s plans depends on contract renewal.

Out-of-network/non-contracted providers are under no obligation to treat Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois members, except in emergency situations.  Please call our customer service number or see your Evidence of Coverage for more information, including the cost-sharing that applies to out-of-network services.

Medicare Part D Plan Notice:
Prescription drug plans provided by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, which refers to HCSC Insurance Services Company (HISC), an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. A Medicare-approved Part D sponsor. Enrollment in HISC’s plans depends on contract renewal.