Deadline nears for healthcare coverage

When the clock ticks towards midnight on Jan. 31, there’ll be no crowds in New York’s Times Square and families and friends won’t be gathered at festive parties. But like New Year’s Eve, on Jan.31, I’ll be counting down until the clock hits midnight.

That’s because as CEO of HealthCare.gov, my mission is to help as many individuals and families as possible access quality and affordable health insurance. If you, or someone you love, still needs coverage for 2016, the end of the month is the deadline to sign up for a plan at HealthCare.gov. It’s important to know that this is the deadline.

I’ve worked in the health insurance industry for many years, and because of that people often ask me for tips about signing up for coverage. With the final deadline looming, I wanted to share some last-minute advice about enrolling at HealthCare.gov.

The first thing to know is don’t be intimidated. Enrolling for health insurance can sound complicated, but at HealthCare.gov we’ve worked hard to make picking a plan and signing up for coverage easier than ever. This year, HealthCare.gov has new tools, like a feature that helps you easily determine which of your doctors and prescriptions are covered by each plan. We’ve also made the application simpler.

Another tip is that coverage is likely more affordable than you think. Finally, as we near the deadline, it’s important to know that this year the penalty is increasing if you can afford coverage but choose not to enroll.

If you have questions or want to talk through your options, enrollment specialists are available all day and every day at 1-800-2596. Visit LocalHelp.HealthCare.gov to find assistance in your community.

I hope you’ll be resting assured with the peace of mind that comes with knowing you have insurance that will keep your family healthy for 2016.

This story was originally published January 25, 2016 at 7:27 PM with the headline "Deadline nears for healthcare coverage."