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A new enrollment season for the health care market

In 2015, about 2.1 million New Yorkers enrolled in a health plan through the New York exchange.

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This year, they will have more than clergy and community volunteers on their side. The government just reported that the cost of the most popular marketplace plan will rise by an average of 7.5% next year, though depending on where you live you could see big hikes or even small declines. The site has been revised to include new, user-friendly features, such as streamlined navigation, simplified re-enrollment and a calculator that gives cost estimates based on the amount of medical services consumers expect to use under different health plans.

Open Enrollment in the Health Insurance Marketplace starts on November 1 and runs through January 31.

Navigating health insurance can be hard, but there is free help available.

“This upcoming date is an important one for all those in Pennsylvania who are looking to enroll in, renew, or change their healthcare plans”, said Governor Tom Wolf in a news release.

“You don’t want to get into one of those high-deductible plans if you can’t afford to pay five or $6,000 out of pocket before the insurance company starts paying 80 percent”, she said.

The money is partially given out so agencies can hire temporary employees to work during open enrollment, although they’re not required to do so, Morter said. If you are choosing a plan for yourself and helping family members with their health insurance decisions, the timing could vary.

“The Essential Plan is really applicable to those consumers who find the existing premiums for qualified health plans or private plans in the marketplace too out of reach”, said Leonard, “considering the limited resources they might have that typically have to go toward their housing, food or child care”.

Also new in 2016 is the addition of the Premium Assistance Program (PAP), a new coverage source made available through the New Hampshire Health Protection Program. Millions of others have been covered through an ACA-mandated Medicaid expansion.

“That should not be happening”, he said.

Amid the cheery push, officials face an uphill battle in rooting out customers who haven’t signed up already.

Navigators are people trained to help individuals sift through information on various health plans available, and evaluate which plans may be best for them. It’s failing at its main goal, and that means Congress and the administration need to find a better way to prod more Americans to buy insurance. Among those on the list are Brooklyn Center, Edgewater/Detroit Shoreway, Newburgh Heights, and communities such as Parma, Eastlake and Bedford, among others. There are more plans to choose from this year, but you may also see higher premiums the costs you pay for healthcare.

Pierre-Louis with Access Health Connecticut says customers are advised to speak with enrollment specialists to ensure that they’re getting all of the right information when it comes federal subsidies that could drastically trim the costs of premiums.

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Susan Ippolito said the screening process was easy by giving her age, income, and state residency.

Aymara Marchante and Wiktor Garcia talked with Maria Elena Santa Coloma an insurance advisor with Uni Vista Insurance during February 2015 sign-ups for health plans in Miami Fla