Coverage through the federal Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) ends on December 31, 2013. You must take action by December 15 to avoid a coverage gap.
Why is PCIP coverage ending?
PCIP will not pay for services you get after December 31, 2013. If you don’t sign up for new coverage by December 15, you won’t have health insurance coverage on January 1, 2014.
When the health care law was signed in 2010, it created PCIP as a temporary program. PCIP made health coverage available to uninsured people with pre-existing conditions until key parts of the law took effect.
PCIP enrollees have new options
Starting in 2014, health insurance companies can no longer deny you coverage or charge you more because of your health condition. Pre-existing condtions must be covered and you can't be penalized for having them. You might qualify for lower monthly premiums or lower out-of-pocket costs (things like deductibles, copays, etc) based on household income. New plans through the exchange are based on a sliding scale to keep them affordable for you while offering you comprehensive coverage for your your health conditions.
Now you have more choices for health coverage. You can get coverage in the individual market, through your employer, or from public programs like Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
Enroll by December 15 for coverage that starts January 1
You must enroll in a new health plan by December 15, 2013 in order to have coverage that starts January 1, 2014. If you enroll after December 15, your coverage can start no earlier than February 1, 2014.
Open enrollment for the exchange ends March 31, 2014.
You must take action to get new coverage because PCIP coverage does not automatically convert to an exchange plan.
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