If you’ve been putting off buying health insurance to meet the terms of the Affordable Care Act, you have until Sunday night to select a plan.
Even if you have coverage, experts say open enrollment is the golden opportunity to make sure you have the best plan for your situation.
There’re lots of reasons we put it off – people wonder, do I have all the information I’ll need to make a choice? What about deductibles? And sometimes, it’s easier to just stick with what you bought last year.
But this is the time to comparison shop. Michael Marchand with the Washington Health Benefit Exchange says first thing you want to do is ask yourself how much you spend on healthcare per year.
“A lot of times, people get the idea that if they get a plan based on the lowest premium, that’s the best deal, and in some cases it is not. What will happen is your deductibles will be higher,” says Marchand.
He says if you go with a higher deductible you could be taking a gamble, and in the end, you might not get the most out of your insurance.
Other things to consider when you’re comparing plans – is your doctor in network? And if you take an expensive medication for a condition like diabetes, you’ll want to make sure that’s covered too.
