Omaha business owner Phil Jarrett found affordable coverage through the Health Care Marketplace.
A couple years ago, Phil Jarrett, a young professional in Omaha, found out that his medical costs didn’t stop once he got done paying for surgery.
That was the year Phil spent nearly half of his annual income on medical bills – even with health insurance provided by his employer.
“My old plans wouldn’t cover items relating to pre-existing conditions or to see a specialist,” Phil told us. “That got really expensive really fast. There were loopholes in my old insurance, and I fell into them.”
So when Phil decided to start his own marketing business, one of his top priorities was finding affordable coverage in the individual market. He found it through the Health Care Marketplace.
Phil ended up browsing his options via the Marketplace website HealthCare.gov, and within a half hour, he found an affordable plan that drastically lowered his annual health care costs.
“I’m actually paying $25 more per month in premiums, but my new deductible is just one-third the cost of my old plan, and I’m paying about one-fourth of the total annual out-of-pocket costs than I used to.”
Starting in 2014, health insurance plans sold under the Affordable Care Act cannot deny people coverage because of preexisting conditions and removes the annual and lifetime limits insurance companies can set on providing you essential health benefits.
The ACA helped Phil find affordable coverage and made it easier for him to start his business. It may do the same for you. Check out your coverage options at HealthCare.gov. Enrollment in plans sold through the Marketplace for 2014 coverage continues through March 31.